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^/00,000  a  year  from  Poultry 


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The  Farm  Journal 


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AGRICULTURAL 


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The 


CURTISS 

Poultry  Book 


8100.000  A  YEAR  FROM  POULTRY 


Being  a  Complete  and  Accurate  Account  of  the  Great  Plant  and  Present 

Successful  Methods  of  W.  R.  and  W.  J.  Curtiss,  Operating  the 

Niagara  Poultry  Farm  of  Ransomville.  N.  Y.,  Largest 

General  Poultry  Enterprise  in  the  World. 


By 

Michael  K.  Boyer 

Poultry  Editor  "  Farm  Journal  " 


PHILADELPHIA 

WILMER  ATKINSON  CO. 

1911 

25  Cents 


Copyright,  1910 
Copyright,  1911 

WILMER  ATKINSON  CO. 


a 


"Bt 


Third  Edition 
Thirtieth  Tliousand 


Contents 


Page 

Niagara  Poultry  Farm,  Introductory   6 

Story  of  the  Farm   8 

Learning  How  to  Raise  Ducks  9 

The  Trade  Catered  To  lO 

Farm,  Buildings,  and  Equipment  lo 

Feed  Warehouse  and  Work  Shop   I2 

Incubator  Cellar    I2 

Methods  of  Hatching  and  Rearing  13 

Varieties   Selected   14 

Best  Breeds  of  Ducks    14 

Demand  for  Smaller  Ducks   15 

Methods  of  Operation    17 

Operating  the  Incubators    17 

When  to  Hatch  ,  24 

Feeding  the  Chicks    24 

Feeding  Chicks  on   Range 25 

Feeding  the  Breeding  Stock   27 

How  Often  to  Feed  27 

Feeding    Wrinkles 28 

How  the  Ducks  are  Fed  29 

Feed    Formulas    29 

Brooding  the  Chicks  and  Ducklings  32 

Feathering  and  Molting  36 

How  Green  Feed  is  Supplied 38 

Colonizing  and  Mating  Stock  Birds  38 

How  Breeding  Stock  is  Reared  41 

How  Breeding  Ducks  are  Selected  41 

How  Fertile  Eggs  are  Secured  43 

Killing,  Dressing  and  Shipping   45 

Killing  Chickens    45 

Killing    Ducks    47 

The  Baby  Chick  Trade  49 

The  Income  51 

Advice  to  Beginners    '. 51 

Index    54 


35168 


Niagara  Poultry  Farm 


In  the  northwestern  corner  of  New  York,  almost  in  sight  of 
Lake  Ontario,  and  only  thirteen  miles  by  railroad  from  Niagara 
Falls,  is  the  pleasant  country  town  of  Ransomville.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  rich,  level  farming  country.  The  town  has  no  great 
factories  or  commercial  establishments,  and  only  a  few  hundred 
human  inhabitants ;  but  on  the  south  side  of  the  railroad  is  an  in- 
dustry with  a  population  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  thousand — 
an  industry  which  has  made  the  name  of  Ransomville  familiar  in 
all  parts  of  the  country ;  for  here  is  the  largest  plant  of  its  kind  in 
the  world,  the  great  Niagara  Poultry  Farm  of  W.  R.  Curtiss  &  Co. 

The  Niagara  Farm  is  not  carried  on  in  a  showy  way.  It 
"  produces  the  goods,"  but  they  are  not  kept  in  the  show-windows. 
Indeed,  there  are  no  show-windows.  You  might  easily  pass  by  the 
place  on  the  train  without  dreaming  that  anything  unusual  was  to 
be  seen  there.  But  here  is  an  establishment  (begun  by  a  country 
boy  with  nothing  but  his  own  hands  and  head,  and  some  debts) 
which  has  always  had  to  make  its  own  capital,  yet  has  already 
been  brought  up  to  such  a  point  of  productiveness  that  its  sales  of 
chickens,  ducks,  and  eggs  exceed  $100,000  a  year;  and  so  excel- 
lent are  all  its  products,  so  safe  and  certain  are  its  methods,  and 
so  profitable  the  results,  that  people  come  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  to  see  the  plant  and  learn  "  how  it  is  done." 

Practical,  Not  Fancy. — The  methods  which  have  built  up  the 
Niagara  Poultry  Farm  are  in  close  harmony  with  the  business 
methods  always  advocated  and  followed  by  the  Farm  Journal. 
"  Practical  not  fancy  farming  "  is  the  motto  that  has  stood  on  the 
first  page  of  the  paper  from  the  beginning;  and  "Practical  not 
fancy  poultry  raising  "  is  the  policy  that  has  brought  the  Niagara 
Farm  up  to  its  present  position  as  a  profit-maker.  Therefore, 
when  the  Farm  Journal  was  looking  for  the  best  examples  of 
success  in  the  various  lines  of  farming  for  the  help  of  its  readers, 
it  was  natural  and  fitting  that  the  Niagara  Poultry  Farm  should 
be  brought  to  its  attention. 

To  the  pioneers  in  any  great  industry  we  owe  a  heavy  debt. 
They  deserve  a  large  reward,  for  they  have  found  and  marked 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  7 

the  safe  path  for  us,  at  great  cost  to  themselves.  For  long  years 
the  Curtiss  Brothers  have  experimented,  and  watched,  and  tested, 
and  compared  results.  They  have  met  failure  almost  as  often  as 
success.  They  have  had  to  devise  their  own  methods,  and  to  cor- 
rect and  improve  them,  little  by  -little,  through  years  of  patient 
toil,  and  often  of  heavy  loss.  They  have  had  to  learn  by  expe- 
rience, because  there  was  no  other  way ;  but  now  others  can  make 
use  of  their  methods,  with  the  certainty  that  every  step  has  been 
made  plain  and  safe.  The  fruit  of  twenty  years'  labor  is  here 
available  for  the  beginner's  guidance,  at  less  than  the  cost  of  a 
"  setting  "  of  eggs. 

An  Experienced  Guide. — The  great  value  of  this  book  is  that 
it  is  a  story,  of  experience.  The  Curtiss  methods  of  running  incu- 
bators, of  housing  and  caring  for  fowls  at  different  ages,  their 
food  formulas  for  young  chickens,  for  laying  hens,  for  "  squab 
broilers,"  for  young  ducks,  for  market  ducks,  etc.,  have  all  been 
tested,  modified,  improved,  and  tested  again,  through  years  of  ex- 
periment, until  now  they  are  so  certain  and  reliable  that  losses  or 
failures  at  the  Niagara  Farm  are  extremely  rare.  To  beginners 
the  value  of  such  a  guide  is  hard  to  estimate.  The  "  poultry- 
fancier"  who  begins  with  a  model  plant  and  ample  resources,  in- 
herited or  made'  in  some  other  business,  can  perhaps  afford  to 
make  experiments  and  work  out  methods  for  himself.  Not  so 
those  men  and  women  who,  like  Roy  Curtiss,  must  begin  at  the 
beginning,  and  maintain  themselves  and  their  families  while  they 
build  up  their  "  plant."  Such  practical  poultry-raisers,  who  can- 
not afford  to  make  mistakes  and  incur  losses,  will  appreciate  the 
aid  of  a  book  like  this,  written  from  actual  experience,  which  is  a 
safe  guide  in  every  branch  of  the  business,  at  every  stage  of  their 
operations,  and  whether  on  a  small  or  a  large  scale. 

In  order  that  every  detail  might  be  studied,  and  that  the  facts 
might  be  brought  out  in  their  proper  light,  the  writer  spent  the 
best  part  of  a  week  at  Niagara  Farm,  and  collected  matter  that 
should  be  of  great  value  not  only  to  beginners,  but  to  veterans  in 
the  business,  as  well.  There  are  no  phenomenal  records  to  present 
to  readers — there  is  no  tempting  bait  held  out;  it  is  simply  the 
narrative  of  two  young  men  who,  beginning  in  a  small  way,  have 
accomplished  what  probably  has  never  before  been  equalled.  It 
is  deeply  interesting.  It  shows  how,  step  by  step,  the  plant  was 
built  up ;  it  touches  upon  the  mistakes  made,  and  tells  how,  grad- 
ually, experience  righted  them,  and  thus  how  the  enterprise  has 
grown  to  its  present  gigantic  proportions. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


The  Story  of  the  Farm 

It  was  about  twenty  years  ago  that  the  younger  of  the  Curtiss 
Brothers  (Roy)  began  keeping  poultry  with  an  aim  to  making  a  living. 
The  father  had  a  number  of  hens  on  the  farm,  but  they  were  neglected, 
kept  more  "after  a  fashion"  than  anything  else.  Roy  conceived  the  idea 
that  he  could  make  a  profit  out  of  them,  and  as  the  family  actually  re- 
ceived no  income  from  the  stock,  he  made  his  father  a  proposition.  It 
was  that  he  (Roy)  was  to  feed  and  care  for  the  fowls,  while  the  father 
supplied  the  feed.  In  return  for  this,  the  boy  was  to  deliver  free  to 
the  family  all  the  poultry  and  eggs  that  were  needed,  and  all  over  that 
number  belonged  to  Roy,  to  sell  or  dispose  of  as  he  saw  fit.  The  prop- 
osition was  accepted. 


It  requires  quite  an  army  of  help  on  Niagara  Farm,  and  each  employee 
has  his  or  her  particular  work  to  perform 


Roy  looked  ahead.  He  wanted  to  enlarge  the  plant,  and  therefore 
it  would  not  be  wise  for  him  to  sell  all  the  young  fowls.  So  he  carefully 
picked  out  the  most  desirable  (according  to  his  crude  ideas)  which  he 
retained  for  additions  to  next  year's  stock.  Gradually  the  plant  en- 
larged, and  all  the  time  the  father  faithfully  kept  his  promise  to  supply 
the  feed. 

Calling  for  a  New  Deal — But,  after  a  while,  the  heavy  cost  of  feed 
became  a  serious  question  with  the  father,  and  he  naturally  became  un- 
easy. Roy  was  entirely  too  ambitious  for  him.  A  few  more  years  of  en- 
largement of  the  plant  and  it  would  mean  a  case  of  bankruptcy.  Already 
he  was  paying  as  high  as  a  dollar  for  an  egg,  to  say  nothing  about  the 
fabulous  price  for  a  roasting  fowl  for  a  Sunday's  dinner. 

The  father  cannot  be  blamed  for  crying  halt.  It  was  time  for  him 
to  do  so.  There  was  a  consultation,  and  it  was  a  very  business-like 
meeting,  too. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  9 

"I  will  give  you  every  chance,  and  help  you  all  I  can,"  said  the 
father,  "but  you  must  pay  your  own  feed  bills,  and  I  will  pay  you  the 
market  rate  for  what  eggs  and  poultry  the  family  consumes." 

It  was  a  fair  proposition,  and  Roy  did  not  dissent.  This  move  did 
not  dishearten  him  in  the  least.  He  realized  the  merits  of  his  father's 
protest,  and  resolved  to  work  out  his  own  problems. 

He  had  already  reached  that  point  in  his  venture  when  he  could 
see  possibilities  ahead,  so  he  put  additional  energy  in  his  work. 

As  early  as  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  he  would  take  his  father's 
team  and  drive  to  Niagara  Falls — thirteen  miles  distant — and  sell  his 
product  from  door  to  door.  It  was  hard  work,  but  the  retail  trade  gave 
him  a  better  price,  and  his  profits  grew. 

Jay,  the  older  brother,  in  the  meantime  left  home  to  seek  a  liveli- 
hood in  other  channels.  He  returned  a  year  afterward,  and  was  sur- 
prised to  find  how  Roy  had  branched  out.  Jay  had  been  successful,  but 
when  he  compared  notes  he  found  that  his  brother  was  making  more 
money  than  he. 

Then  it  was  when  the  partnership  was  formed.  The  work  had 
already  become  too  great  for  Roy  alone,  but  now  with  Jay's  help  they 
would  be  able  to  branch  out  to  a  greater  extent.  At  that  time  the  well- 
known  Niagara  Farm  was  established,  under  the  ownership  of  W.  R. 
Curtiss  &  Co. 

For  the  first  ten  years  there  were  many  mistakes  and  drawbacks, 
but  the  two  young  men  had  placed  their  shoulders  to  the  wheel,  and 
their  perseverance  and   energy  overcame  all  difficulties. 

Some  of  their  troubles  were  the  spoiling  of  thousands  of  eggs,  for 
the  reason  that  the  incubators  used  were  worthless;  great  difficulty  in 
hatching  and  rearing  incubator  chicks  through  lack  of  knowledge  of 
artificial  methods,  and  chronic  shortage  of  working  capital,  a  very 
important  matter.  Then  1,400  ducks,  hatched  and  raised  in  summer, 
were  sold  in  the  fall,  leaving  them  in  debt  to  the  tune  of  four  hundred 
dollars  for  feed.  This  was  because  they  held  the  ducks  too  long,  they 
thus  losing  instead  of  gaining  in  weight;  and  so  on.  The  duck  problem 
was  indeed  a  serious  one,  and  something  must  be  done. 

Learning  How  to  Raise  Ducks 

The  Curtiss  boys  realized  that  their  knowledge  of  duck  culture  was 
entirely  too  limited,  and  so  in  order  to  get  a  better  understanding,  and 
that  they  might  better  become  acquainted  with  the  more  modern 
methods.  Jay  secured  a  position  with  A.  J.  Hallock,  of  Long  Island, 
who  had  the  largest  and  most  successful  duck  farm  in  this  country. 

Regularly  Jay  would  write  home  to  his  brother,  advising  him  of 
methods  that  would  overcome  their  difficulties,  and  Roy  put  the  in- 
structions to  good  use.  At  the  end  of  the  season  Jay  came  home  to 
stay,  and  the  boys  worked  hard  correcting  the  mistakes  of  previous 
years.     From  that  time  on  the  duck  proposition  became  a  paying  one. 

In  the  start  they  experienced  considerable  difficulty  in  educating 
the  people  of  the  surrounding  country  to  eat  duck.  They  sold  a  ton 
of  dressed  carcasses  to  one  of  the  leading  Bufifalo  hotels  at  ten  cents 


lO 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


a  pound,  but  since  that  time  they  have  sold  tons  at  three  times  that 
price,  and  never  at  a  figure  lower  than  fifteen  cents  per  pound.  They 
are  now  annually  marketing  as  many  as  50,000  green  ducks. 

The  Trade  Catered  To 

The  trade  for  both  the  poultry  and  the  eggs  consists  principally  of 
hotels,  restaurants  and  clubs.  Private  family  trade,  it  is  argued,  costs 
too  much  time  and  money,  together  with  bookkeeping  and  worry  over 
small  accounts,  thus  leaving  no  greater  profit,  all  things  considered, 
than  what  they  derive  by  their  present  system. 

In  some  sections  of  the  country,  especially  in  and  near  large  cities, 
they  furnish  stock  to  dealers  who  have  built  up  a  large  and  select  pri- 
vate trade,  as  well  as  clubs,  restaurants  and  hotels,  but  as  these  dealers 
pay  outright  for  the  goods,  Niagara  Farm  has  no  concern  over  the  cus- 
tom. In  some  towns  agents  are  employed  who  take  orders  which  are 
filled  by  the  farm,  the  agent  being  paid  a  commission  for  his  work,  and 
shipments  and  collections  made  direct. 

The  trade  of  the  farm  lies  largely  at  Thousand  Islands  and  in  the 
Adirondacks,  the  latter  trade  being  heavy  during  the  entire  year. 

Over  one  hundred  regular  customers  are  catered  to  in  semi-weekly, 
weekly,  etc.,  shipments,  many  of  these  customers  acting  as  middlemen 
in  disposing  of  the  product.  It  required  more  than  ten  years  to  secure 
this  valuable  outlet,  which  extends  to  such  large  cities  as  Niagara  Falls, 
Buffalo,  Rochester,  New  York  City,  etc. 


The  Farm,  Buildings  and  Equipment 

The  farm  is  situated  right  across  the  road  from  the  railroad  station 
at  Ransomville.  It  consists  of  sixty-three  acres  of  sandy  loam  soil, 
known  in  some  sections  as  a  "chestnut  soil."     The  land  lies  level,  and 


^^^.i^^ 

K*^, 

^H 

SECTION    OF    THE    DUCK    FATTENING    PEN 

Thousands  of  ducks  are  fattened  each   season  on  Niagara  Farm,  going  into  the  market 
in   prime  condition 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  II 

the  houses  are  given  a  south  and  east  exposure,  thus  having  the  pre- 
vailing winds  of  winter  strilce  all  the  buildings  endwise. 

The  feed  storehouse,  containing  the  office,  is  close  to  the  railroad 
station.  The  grain  elevator  has  a  capacity  of  10,000  bushels,  and  is 
located  alongside  the  railroad  tracks,  so  that  most  of  the  feed  is  un- 
loaded, mixed  and  fed  to  stock  without  the  use  of  a  team  for  carting. 
One  of  the  big  mixing  machines  has  a  capacity  of  mixing  up  twenty 
bushels  of  wet  mash  at  one  time. 

There  is  a  long  laying  house,  recently  built  at  Niagara  Farm,  200 
by  16  feet,  two  stories  high.  On  the  upper  floor  are  housed  this  winter 
(1910-I1)  2,000  Leghorn  pullets.  Building  is  single  slant  with  3  by  10 
muslin  windows  upstairs  and  down.  On  the  ground  floor  young  duck- 
lings are  placed  after  they  are  three  weeks  old.  This  heated  by  a  heater 
in  a  pit  at  center  of  building  and  pipes  along  back. 


DUCK    BROODING    HOUSES   AT   NIAGARA   FARM 

Here  fully  5000  duckling's  at  a  time  are  nursed  and  cared  for  a  month  or  two  before 
they   are   placed   in   runs 


There  are  two  hundred  colony  houses,  one  thousand  feet  of  heated 
brooder  houses,  and  three  hundred  fireless  brooders. 

The  duck  brooder  house  has  a  capacity  of  25,000  ducklings  at  one 
time,  and  there  are  summer  shades  and  shelter  for  as  many  more.  The 
duck  houses  are  immense  buildings,  one  measuring  36  by  508  feet;  the 
other,  16  by  450  feet.  Fifteen  tenant  houses  located  on  the  farm  and  in 
the  village  are  used  exclusively  for  help  employed. 

The  buildings  contain  300,000  square  feet  of  floor  space. 

Besides  the  incubator  cellar,  with  brooding-house  above,  which  is 
believed  to  be  the  largest  in  the  world,  there  are  1,500  feet  of  duck 
fattening  shed,  thirty-six  feet  wide;  ice  pond  and  ice-houses  right  on  the 
farm,  one  gas  engine,  one  steam  engine,  two  windmills,  three  complete 
water  systems,  and  over  10,000  feet  of  water  pipe  laid  all  over  the  farm. 

The  picker  house  measures  18  by  50  feet,  with  a  loft  for  the  stor- 
age of  feathers.  Adjoining  the  killing  room  is  a  shed  20  by  30  feet,  in 
which  are  quartered  the  ducks  and  chickens  ready  for  killing.  « 


12  CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 

The  Feed  Warehouse  and  the  Work  Shop 

The  feed  warehouse  and  the  work  shop  are  combined.  On  the  first 
floor  of  the  latter  there  is  a  capacity  of  one  hundred  tons  of  grain  at 
one  time.  It  requires  considerable  feed  to  satisfy  the  hunger  of  the 
thousands  of  chickens  and  ducks  on  Niagara  Farm.  Not  less  than  five 
hundred  bushels  of  grain  per  day,  or  a  full  carload  per  week,  is  fed. 

The  machinery  used  in  this  building  consists  of  a  Smith  meat  chop- 
per for  chopping  meat,  vegetables,  etc.  This  machine  is  used  princi- 
pally for  cutting  vegetables.  It  has  a  capacity  of  three  bushels,  and  cuts 
potatoes,  turnips,  beets,  etc.,  in  very  small  pieces. 

Two  feed  mixers  are  used — one  a  Maxwell,  and  the  other  a  Morton. 
Each  have  a  capacity  of  about  twenty  bushels  at  a  mixing.  One  of  these 
machines  drops  the  mixed  feed  in  cars  on  the  track  to  be  taken  out  to 
the  duck  ranch.  The  other  machine  places  its  product  in  wagons  to  be 
hauled  out  on  the  range  where  the  poultry  are  quartered. 

In  the  basement  of  this  building  is  a  Myers  pump  that  furnishes 
water  for  the  mixing  machines,  and  besides  supplies  the  water  needed 
in  the  fattening  and  growing  yards  of  stock  located  on  the  west  side 
of  the  farm. 

A  Wilson  Brothers  power  bone  cutter  is  also  installed  for  use  when 
bone  is  required  for  the  stock. 

An  Olen  five  horse-power  engine  is  now  used  to  furnish  power  for 
running  the  dififerent  machines,  but  this  will  shortly  be  replaced  by  a 
ten  horse-power  engine  to  be  run  by  a  dynamo — the  farm  to  be  shortly 
supplied  with  electric  power,  as  stated  elsewhere. 

About  two  hundred  tons  of  coal  are  consumed  each  year  on  the 
farm. 

In  the  forepart  of  this  building  is  located  the  office,  a  spacious  room, 
in  which  is  desk  room  for  the  two  proprietors  (W.  Roy  and  W.  Jay 
Curtiss),  and  also  for  the  father  of  the  boys,  whose  duty  it  is  to  do 
the  bookkeeping  for  the  firm,  and  conduct  visitors  about  the  farm.  A 
young  lady,  two  expert  stenographers  and  a  bookkeeper  are  constantly 
engaged  in  handling  the  large  correspondence. 

The  Incubator  Cellar 

The  incubH.tur  cellar,  believed  to  be  the  largest  in  the  world,  is  48 
by  170  feet  in  dimensions.  The  building  is  two-story,  the  upper  story 
being  used  as  a  chick  nursery,  where  the  young  are  first  given  brooder 
heat,  and  then  afterward  placed  in  firel°ss  brooders,  as  is  explained  under 
the  heading  of  brooding. 

In  this  cellar  are  quartered  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  incubators 
of  the  Prairie  State  manufacture,  besides  which  there  are  three  Hall 
mammoth  incubators,  7,500  egg  capacity,  quartered  in  other  buildings, 
and  which  are  devoted  to  hatching  baby  chicks. 

The  cellar  is  ventilated  by  a  six-inch  terra  cotta  pipe  placed  through 
the  side  wall,  about  six  inches  from  the  floor,  and  this  is  connected  by 
an  elbow  and  a  three-foot  joint  of  terra  cotta,  pointing  upward.     In  this 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  1 3 

manner  the  foul  air  is  conducted  to  the  outside,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  outside  air  is  prevented  from  rushing  back  into  the  cellar.  These 
ventilators  are  placed  every  sixteen  feet  on  both  sides  of  the  cellar. 
The  cellar  wall  is  two  feet  thick,  and  is  banked  up  with  earth  on  the 
outside,  the  floor  of  the  cellar  being  even  with  the  outside  surface. 

The  incubators  are  placed  in  blocks  of  four  machines,  so  that  they 
do  not  stand  in  front  of  the  ventilator  holes  in  the  wall,  the  latter  being 
located  between  each  block,  thus  preventing  the  lamps  of  the  incubators 
from  being  blown  out,  and  besides  there  might  be  a  possibility  of  drafts 
of  air  striking  the  machines.  As  the  incubators  are  arranged  length- 
wise, there  is  ample  space  to  allow  a  four-foot  aisle  between  each  row. 

Besides  the  ventilator  holes  mentioned,  there  are  ten  windows  on 
each  side  of  the  cellar,  about  sixteen  feet  apart,  and  placed  up  near  the 
ceiling.  These  are  opened  during  warmer  weather  when  it  is  intended 
to  more  quickly  cool  the  atmosphere. 

Near   the   center   of   the   cellar   are   located   two   egg-testing   booths. 


THE    INCUBATOR    HOUSE    AT    NIAGARA    FARM 
Said  to   be   the   largest  in  the  world.     The   nursery  is  on   the  second   floor 

measuring  4  by  6  feet,  and  about  six  feet  high,  encased  with  heavy  lining 
paper. 

There  is  telephone  connection  from  the  ofifice  to  several  buildings 
on  the  farm,  greatly  saving  time  in  calling  up  the  heads  of  the  dififerent 
departments. 

This  is  a  farm  where  visitors  are  always  welcome,  and  one  man  is 
kept  busy  showing  people  about  the  place  and  explaining  matters. 

Methods  of  Hatching*  and  Rearing 

Niagara  Farm  bears  the  distinction  of  being  the  largest  poultry 
plant  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  There  are  farms  upon  which  more 
chickens  art  raised,  and  farms  upon  which  more  ducks  are  raised;  but 
there  is  no  farm  on  which  so  many  head  of  stock  are  produced — 
reared — counting  both  chickens  and  ducks — as  on  this  place. 


14  CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 

The  products  of  the  farm  are  table  eggs,  hatching  eggs,  roasting 
fowls,  squab  broilers,  baby  chicks  and  ducklings,  and  breeding  stock 
in  both  poultry  and  ducks. 

The  Varieties  Selected 

As  stated  elsewhere,  Curtiss  &  Co.  tried  all  the  leading  breeds. 
They  wanted  a  variety  that  would  best  meet  the  requirements  of  thtir 
trade.     In  short,  they  needed  business  fowls. 

They  wanted  a  broiler  breed.  A  variety  that  would  quickly  grow  a 
plump  body,  and  at  the  least  expense,  and  one,  also,  that  would  present 
an  attractive  carcass. 

Twenty  different  varieties  in  the  American  class,  some  of  the 
Games,  a  few  of  the  Asiatics,  and  even  some  foreign  breeds,  in  turn  were 
tested,  but  finally  they  narrowed  down  to  the  White  Wyandottes.  They 
found  that  this  breed  not  only  gave  them  the  broiler  wanted,  but  also 
furnished  an  excellent  small-sized  roasting  fowl.  For  sixteen  years 
this  variety  has  been  bred  on  Niagara  Farm,  and  by  careful  selection 
and  mating  they  have  also  gotten  up  a  strain  of  large,  brown  egg  layers. 
The  laying  capacity  of  the  hens  is  judged  by  the  Hogan  system,  and  it 
has  proved  successful  with  them. 

The  advantages  they  secured  in  the  White  Wyandottes  were  good 
size,  with  rich  yellow  skin  and  yellow  legs,  and  a  broad  and  meaty  back 
and  breast. 

When  the  demand  came  for  a  larger  sized  roasting  carcass  than  the 
White  Wyandotte  could  furnish,  the  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  was  tested, 
and  while'  it  served  the  purpose  there  still  was  an  objection  in  the  dark 
pin  feathers,  which,  despite  the  best  of  care  by  the  pickers,  would  often 
present  a  bad  looking  carcass.  The  White  Plymouth  Rock  was  then 
tried,  and  in  this  breed  they  found  the  ideal  for  soft  roasters,  and  being 
of  a  white  plumage  there  was  not  that  objection  of  dark  pin  feathers 
to  be  found  as  is  the  case  with  the  Barred.  Cockerels  of  this  breed 
dress  nine  pounds  each,  and  pullets  seven  pounds  each,  in  four  months. 
They  also  found  the  White  Plymouth  Rocks  to  be  equal,  or  nearly  so, 
to  capons,  bringing  almost  as  good  a  price  on  the  market,  and  saving 
ninety  per  cent,  of  the  work  and  one-half  the  time  in  production  that  is 
needed  with  capons. 

As  the  egg  trade  increased,  and  they  found  the  trade  calling  loudly 
for  white-shelled  eggs  (a  fad  peculiar  in  New  York),  they  tested  the 
Single  Comb  White  Leghorns,  and  found  them  to  be  very  hardy  and 
a  very  profitable  fowl  to  handle.  They  are  light  feeders  and  can  be 
confined  with  less  floor  space  in  winter  than  any  breed  they  ever  kept. 
They  also  found  thtm  to  be  excellent  for  squab  broilers,  and  for  this 
purpose  the  cockerels  are  sacrificed. 

The  Best  Breeds  of  Ducks 

At  present  the  Pekin  is  the  only  duck  used  on  the  farm,  but,  as 
already  stated,  a  test  is  about  being  made  with  the  Indian  Runner  ducks 
to  supply  a  trade  that  calls  for  a  lighter  weight  carcass. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


IS 


A  KILLING   OF   DUCKLINGS   DRESSED   READY   FOR   MARKET 
Niagara  Farm  makes  it  a  point  to  dress  carcasses  in  the  most  attractive  manner 

The  Pekin  ducks  on  Niagara  Farm  are  of  large  size,  mature  early, 
and  average  140  eggs  per  duck  during  the  season.  The  eggs  are  very 
fertile,  rarely  running  below  eighty  per  cent,  and  most  of  the  time 
ninetv-five  per  cent,  and  even  better.  At  seven  to  nine  weeks  old,  the 
young  average  five  pounds  each,  dressed.  Niagara  Farm  has  bred  the 
Pekin  duck  for  fifteen  years. 


Demand  for  Smaller  Ducks 


Fifteen  years  ago  Niagara  Farm  had  a  hard  time  to  grow  ducks  to 
weigh  four  pounds  each,  but  by  careful  selection  their  stock  each  year 
has  improved,  and  by  breeding  more  for  size,  it  is  now  hard  work  for 
them  to  have  ducks  weighing  less  than  five  pounds — the  weight  generally 
running  between  five  and  six  pounds. 

But  gradually  a  demand  increased  for  ducks  weighing  four  to  four 
and  a  half  pounds  each,  and  it  became  a  serious  question  how  to  cater 
to  that  trade.  So  at  present  a  test  is  being  made  with  Indian  Runner 
duck  eggs,  several  thousand  of  which  have  been  purchased.  Some  of 
the  young  were  hatched  at  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit,  but  not  until 
next  season  can  the  Messrs.  Curtiss  tell  if  the  Indian  Runner  will  serve 
the  purpose  for  what  they  intend  or  not.  The  chances  are,  however, 
that  they  will. 

The  Curtiss  people  report  this  year  (1910)  as  the  best  in  their  ex- 
perience for  prices.  During  the  winter  of  1909-10,  prices  went  so  high 
as  thirty-five  cents  a  pound,  and  never  less  than  twenty  cents,  and  those 
prices,  too,  by  the  ton  lot,  sent  to  wholesale  trade.  As  late  as  June, 
1910,  the  prices  still  ranged  from  twenty-two  to  twenty-five  cents  per 
pound  to  the  trade. 

The  aim  is  to  have  ducks  for  sale  the  entire  year.  There  were  just 
two  weeks  last  year  that  Niagara  Farm  had  no  ducks  to  ship  to  market. 


NIAGARA    DUCKLINGS 

It  is  a  pretty  sight  to  stand  at  one  end   of  the   Brooder  Runs  and   see   tliousaiids   of  Baby 
Ducklings  in   their  comic  movements,   and   all   as  busy   as   bees 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  1 7 

There  were  50,000  ducklings  marketed  the  past  season,  and  of  the  total 
■number  hatched,  the  loss  ran  only  from  two  to  five  per  cent.     During 
a  wet  season  the  loss  is  more  heavy  than  it  is  during  a  dry  one. 
A  specialty  on  Niagara  Farm  is  its  winter  duck  supply. 

Methods  of  Operation 

There  are  few  theories  on  Niagara  Farm.  Every  step  taken  has 
been  carefully  considered.  There  must  be  a  reason  for  it.  Every  idea 
that  proves  to  be  good  and  useful  is  adopted.  All  unnecessary  work 
is  saved.  Every  move  must  show  economy  and  profit.  The  proprie- 
tors have  their  sleeves  rolled  up,  and  are  not  afraid  to  work.  Each  has 
his  section  of  the  farm  to  superintend,  and  everything  moves  along 
smoothly. 

About  fifteen  men  are  employed  in  winter  and  twenty-five  during  the 
summer.  This  does  not  include  between  twenty  to  thirty  women  pickers, 
who  are  at  work  every  day  of  the  week,  excepting  Saturday  and  Sunday. 

It  is  a  rule  on  Niagara  Farm  to  have  a  hatch  come  ofif  every  Mon- 
day and  Thursday,  and  it  is  another  rule  that  every  Tuesday  and  Friday 
every  egg  that  has  not  been  sold  or  placed  in  the  incubators,  must  be 
sent  to  market.  In  that  way  the  customers  are  guaranteed  strictly  fresh 
«ggs,  and  there  are  no  eggs  on  hand  to  become  stale. 


Operating^  the  Incubators 

The  great  incubator  cellar  is  in  charge  of  Leo  Curtiss,  a  younger 
brother  of  the  firm,  who  has  as  his  assistant  a  bright  Japanese  boy, 
Shozo  Nomiura,  who  came  to  this  country  from  Tokio,  Japan. 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  incubator  men  begin  turning  the 
eggs,  and  so  skillful  have  they  become  that  by  6.30  o'clock  every  egg 
has  been  turned,  and  the  men  go  to  their  breakfast. 

The  eggs  are  turned  mostly  by  placing  an  empty  tray  over  a  full 
one,  and  giving  it  a  swing,  thus  emptying  the  eggs  from  one  tray  to  the 
other.  In  some  of  their  machines  they  are  compelled  to  use  the  shuffling 
method,  but  prefer  the  old-style  extra  tray  idea.  This,  they  argue,  guar- 
antees every  egg  turned,  and,  in  consequence,  they  cut  down  the  per- 
<;entage  of  deaths  in  the  shell. 

The  eggs  are  again  turned  in  the  evening,  beginning  at  four  o'clock 
and  generally  ending  at  six  o'clock. 

When  turning  the  eggs  by  the  trayful,  it  is  done  slowly,  and  not  by 
a  quick  whirl.  Mr.  Leo  Curtiss  says  that  the  tray  method  of  turning 
does  the  work  more  accurately,  and  prevents  the  blood  vessels  from 
growing  fast  to  the  shell. 

After  breakfast  is  over  the  work  of  trimming  the  lamps  begins. 
Instead  of  cutting  the  wicks  with  a  pair  of  shears,  as  is  so  often  done, 
especially  by  beginners,  the  charred  part  of  the  wick  is  scraped  off. 
This  gives  a  more  even  and  steady  light,  and  does  not  leave  corners  to 
the  wick  which  smoke  and  collect  soot.  There  is  considerable  danger 
-when  soot  collects  in  the  lamp  chimney,  as  it  is  apt  to  ignite  and  cause 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  I9 

a  fire.  The  work  of  filling  the  lamps  follows  that  of  scraping  the  wick. 
The  Curtiss  people  prefer  filling  the  lamps  in  the  morning  in  prefer- 
ence to  evening,  as  is  generally  advised,  for  the  reason  that  they  have 
ample  time  to  watch  the  flame  and  see  that  it  is  burning  steadily.  Past 
experience  taught  them  that  when  the  lamps  were  cleaned  and  filled  at 
night,  in  many  cases  the  flame  went  up  after  the  attendants  had  left  the 
cellar,  and  ruined  hatches  were  the  consequence.  After  each  lamp  has 
been  filled  it  is  carefully  cleaned  of  all  dirt  and  oil  that  may  have  dropped 
on  the  surface.  Too  much  care  cannot  be  taken  in  this  particular,  as 
every  chance  of  fire  must  be  removed,  not  only  for  the  benefit  of  the 
hatch,  but  the  safety  of  the  building.  The  best  kerosene  oil  is  used, 
that  which  will  stand  150  degrees  test.  Cheap  oil  is  dangerous.  A  new 
wick  is  used  at  the  beginning  of  each  hatch,  so  that  there  will  be  no 
possibility  of  a  short  wick,  which,  after  having  lost  all  of  its  oil,  bums 
out.  Extra  care  is  taken  to  keep  the  burner  free  from  dirt,  taking  par- 
ticular notice  that  the  little  sieve  on  the  burner  is  not  closed  up,  so 
that  there  may  be  a  free  circulation  of  air.  Care  is  also  taken  that  the 
flame  of  the  lamp  is  not  turned  up  too  high  or  it  may  smoke,  and 
in  this  way  gather  soot.  In  fact,  they  never  allow  the  flame  of  the  lamp 
to  be  higher  than  is  strictly  necessary.  Eggs  themselves  throw  oflf  very 
little  heat  for  the  first  two  weeks. 

The  Curtisses  believe  that  cooling  eggs  make  strong  chicks,  and 
that  once  a  day  throughout  the  entire  hatch  is  not  sufficient  for  good 
results.  When  the  first  test  is  made,  seven  days  after  the  incubator  has 
been  started,  the  eggs  are  cooled  for  five  minutes  in  winter  and  fifteen 
minutes  during  summer.  This  is  continued  for  one  week.  Then  after 
that  the  cooling  is  performed  twice  a  day,  allowing  the  eggs  to  cool 
longer  as  the  animal  heat  in  the  egg  increases,  which  is  about  ten  min- 
utes in  winter  to  twenty  minutes  in  summer.  To  know  just  how  long 
to  cool,  a  thermometer  bulb  is  placed  on  a  live  egg,  and  when  it  drops 
to  eighty-five  degrees  the  tray  is  returned  to  the  machine.  The  trays 
are  placed  on  top  of  the  machine  while  being  cooled,  and  the  doors  of 
the  incubator  closed.  This  is  the  opposite  to  the  practice  of  some  incu- 
bator men  who  cool  the  eggs  in  the  machine  by  leaving  the  doors  open. 
'  It  is  reasoned  that  the  eggs  more  auickly  receive  the  proper  tempera- 
ture if  the  heat  is  retained  in  the  incubator,  and,  having  tried  both 
methods,  the  Messrs.  Curtiss  find  the  latter  more  reliable  and  practical. 

The  Curtiss  method  of  adding  moisture  to  the  eggs  is  dififerent  from 
that  generally  practiced.  No  moisture  pans  are  used  in  the  machines.  In- 
stead, in  the  case  of  hens'  eggs,  they  are  lightly  sprinkled  with  tepid 
water  two  or  three  times  during  the  hatch,  according  to  state  of  weather 
^once  during  the  first  week,  and  twice  during  the  second  week.  In  the 
case  of  duck  eggs,  a  light  sprinkling  is  given  them  after  first  test,  and 
a  more  liberal  sprinkling  after  second  week  of  incubation.  In  addition 
to  this  the  floor  of  the  cellar  (which  is  earth)  is  kept  damp  by  thor- 
oughly sprinkling  with  a  hose.  The  dryer  the  air,  the  more  rapid  is 
evaporation  of  the  egg.  Too  much  moisture  is  as' dangerous  to  duck 
eggs  as  it  is  to  hen  eggs.  When  too  much  moisture  is  given,  the  chick 
grows  more  than  it  should,  and  becomes  too  large  to  remain  in  the 
egg,  yet  not  sufficiently  developed  to  come  out. 


TURNING    TNCITSATOR    EGGS 

The  eggs  on  Niagara   Farm   are  turned  by  the  old-fashioned  method,  placing  an  empty  tray 
upon   ;i    full  one,    and  giving  it  a  turn  over 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  21 

The  first  test  of  hen  eggs  is  made  on  the  seventh  day  of  incubation, 
and  the  second  one  on  the  fourteenth  day.  This  gives  a  better  chance 
to  correctly  judge  the  condition  of  an  egg  than  is  afforded  when 
testing  on  the  fourth  day.  Weak  germs  often  die  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  first  week,  and  if  not  detected  on  the  fourth  day  test,  remain  in 
the  incubators,  to  the  risk  of  having  the  bulb  of  the  thermometer  rest 
upon  them,  thus  giving  a  false  registry  of  temperature,  which,  while  it 
may  not  kill  a  hatch  has  a  strong  tendency  to  cripple  it.  The  seventh 
and  fourteenth  days'  tests  give  more  positive  information. 

Duck  eggs  are  tested  on  the  seventh  and  twenty-first  days. 

The  averages  of  percentages  of  hatches  made  by  Niagara  Farm, 
according  to  the  reports,  show  ninety  per  cent,  for  White  Leghorns; 
seventy-five  to  eighty  per  cent,  for  White  Wyandottes  and  White  Ply- 
mouth Rocks,  and  seventy-five  to  eighty  per  cent,  for  ducks. 

It  might  here  be  mentioned  that  the  Pekin  ducks  are  used,  and  have 
been  since  the  start  of  the  farm,  but  experiments  are  now  being  made 
with  Indian  Runner  ducks,  as  the  call  at  Niagara  Farm  for  smaller  car- 
casses has  tempted  the  proprietors  to  give  the  Indian  Runners  a  trial. 

On  the  day  of  the  visit  of  the  writer,  six  machines  of.  hens'  eggs 
hatched,  and  as  the  little  chicks  were  being  taken  out  of  the  incubators 
a  careful  count  was  made,  resulting  as  follows :  No.  I  machipe,  203 
chicks;  No.  2,  252;  No.  3,  250;  No.  4,  244;  No.  5,  267;  No.  6,  327,  mak- 
ing a  total  of  1,543  chicks  from  1,673  fertile  eggs.  This  is  certainly  a 
big  showing.  In  machine  No.  2,  351  eggs  were  originally  set,  out  of 
which  252  chicks  were  hatched,  and  in  machine  No.  6,  327  chicks  were 
hatched  out  of  337  fertile  eggs. 

In  the  case  of  the  total,  showing  that  1,543  chicks  were  hatched  from 
1,673  eggs,  it  would  appear  that  130  eggs  failed  to  hatch,  but  in  truth, 
there  were  but  105  eggs  in  which  there  were  dead  germs  or  chicks,  as 
twenty-five  chicks  came  out  of  the  shell  but  died  before  they  could  be 
removed.     Only  live  chicks  are  above  recorded. 

On  each  machine  is  tacked  a  card  which  gives  the  history  of  the 
hatch,  as  follows : 


RECORD. 

Machine  No Time  set   

No.  eggs  set  Kind  of  eggs  .  . . . 

Time,  first  test  No.  eggs  fertile  . 

Time,  second  test  Per  cent,  fertility 

Hatch  due   No.  live  germs  .  . 

No.  of  chicks  hatched   

Remarks : 


22  CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 

Mr.  Leo  Curtiss  furnished  the  following  report  from  his  record 
book,  which  will  give  an  idea  of  the  wholesale  manner  in  which  chicks 
and  ducklings  are  turned  out  in  the  incubator  cellar. 

For  the  season  of  1910,  up  to  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit  (the 
last  week  in  June),  100,319  youngsters  came  out  of  their  shells,  of  which 
35,148  were  ducklings  and  65,171  were  chicks.  Besides  there  were 
enough  duck  eggs  in  the  incubators  to  run  the  total  number  of  ducklings 
up  to  40,000.  The  machines  are  in  constant  operation  for  ten  months 
in  the  year. 

The  total  number  of  duck  eggs  set  was  61,995,  and  the  total  number 
of  chicken  eggs  108,762.  Fully  25,000  more  head  of  youngsters  are  yet 
to  be  hatched. 

This  shows  that  a  little  more  than  one  duck  or  one  chick  was  pro- 
duced from  every  two  eggs  set,  taking  the  winter  and  summer  averages. 

The  machines  were  run  on  duck  eggs  from  February  28th  to  June 
28th  (time  of  writer's  visit),  and  the  chicken  eggs  from  February  7th 
to  June  28th. 

Only  fresh  eggs  are  used  for  incubation.  In  fact,  there  are  no  stale 
eggs  on  Niagara  Farm.  It  is  a  rule  that  every  Monday  and  Thursday 
all  eggs  that  are  not  placed  in  the  incubators,  or  otherwise  disposed  of, 
must  be  shipped  to  market.  They  are  equally  careful  in  the  selection 
of  their  eggs,  discarding  all  deformed,  small  or  extra  large  sized,  and 
those  having  flaws  in  the  shell. 

Another  point  is  to  have  the  temperature  the  same  in  all  parts  of 
the  machine,  which  is  done  by  having  the  machine  standing  perfectly 
level,  and  also  by  tipping  the  trays  slightly  when  needed. 

It  is  the  aim  of  the  operator  to  have  the  thermometer  register  as 
near  102  degrees  the  first  week  of  the  hatch  as  is  possible,  about  103 
degrees  the  second  week,  and  103%  to  104  degrees  the  third  week 

Care  is  taken  not  to  allow  the  heat  to  run  up  the  first  week  of  the 
hatch,  or  the  latter  may  be  killed  or  badly  injured.  In  case  the  heat  gets 
a  single  degree  above  what  it  should  register,  the  eggs  are  at  once 
cooled. 

The  incubators  are  not  allowed  to  stand  near  a  window,  as  this  often 
has  a  tendency  to  increase  or  decrease  the  heat  in  the  machine. 

Should  the  temperature  get  too  high,  the  hatch  is  apt  to  come  off 
before  it  is  due;  and  if  too  low,  the  hatch  will  be  delayed  several  days. 
Either  extreme  is  detrimental  to  the  strength  of  the  chicks. 

A  study  of  the  air  cells  of  the  eggs  is  made,  and  treatment  governed 
according  to  their  size. 

In  placing  the  eggs  in  the  incubator,  the  large  ends  are  all  pointed 
the  same  way  in  the  trays  and  slightly  raised. 

After  removing  all  infertile  eggs  the  fertile  ones  are  spread  out  on 
the  trays  so  that  they  will  occupy  about  the  same  relative  position  to  one 
another. 

When  eggs  are  overheated  in  the  beginning  of  the  hatch,  the  chicks 
are  generally  found  dead  in  the  shell  when  the  hatch  is  due.  They  are 
also  found  dead  when  they  form  near  the  small  end  of  the  egg. 

After  each  hatch  the  machines  are  thoroughly  disinfected  by  a  coal 
tar  product,  of  which  ten  per  cent,  is  used  in  warm  water. 


24  CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 

When  to  Hatch 

For  breeding  stock,  Niagara  Farm  does  its  incubating  principally 
during  the  months  of  April  and  May,  as  they  find  the  hatches  are  more- 
satisfactory  at  that  season,  the  chicks  being  more  strong  and  vigorous. 
They  have,  however,  had  good  results  from  hatches  made  during  March- 
and  June,  but  only  resort  to  those  months  when  the  demand  calls  for  it. 

Niagara  Farm  also  finds  that  chicks  hatched  the  latter  part  of  August 
to  about  the  first  of  November,  and  carried  over  until  spring,  bring  a 
better  profit  as  roasting  fowls  than  roasters  raised  and  marketed  at  any 
other  season. 

The  hatches  of  July  and  August,  as  well  as  those  of  November  and: 
December,  are  not  so  satisfactory,  as  the  stock  brought  out  do  not  meet 
the  best  markets.  Besides  there  is  less  fertility  of  eggs,  and  other 
difficulties  arise  that  do  not  appeal  to  or  warrant  much  work  being  done 
in  that  direction  during  that  time. 

The  Niagara  Farm  has  for  years  experimented,  by  a  series  of  tests 
in  incubating,  to  find  if  it  is  not  possible  to  secure  a  year-round  duck 
egg  yield,  so  that  there  would  be  continuous  hatching.  They  have,  by 
selecting  pens  of  breeders  from  each  month's  hatching,  gotten  to  the 
point  where  they  can  now  run  the  incubators  on  duck  eggs  the  entire 
year.  They  find  that  winter-hatched  ducks  prove  to  be  the  most  profit- 
able for  next  season's  hatching,  and  have  had  ducks  lay  in  June  that 
were  hatched  in  January. 

For  broilers,  it  has  generally  been  contended  that  hatching  should 
begin  in  October  and  end  in  May. 

For  ducks,  the  regular  laying  season  commences  about  January  20th, 
and  a  fair  average  is  four  eggs  per  week,  per  duck,  from  that  time  on 
to  June  20th,  after  which  they  gradually  let  down,  stopping  entirely 
toward  the  last  of  July.  Now  it  is  just  that  schedule  that  Niagara  Farm, 
has  succeeded  in  improving  by  now  getting  eggs  practically  the  entire 
year. 

Feeding  the  Chicks 

The  newly-hatched  chicks  are  not  fed  until  they  are  about  three 
days  old.  They  find  it  a  good  rule  to  watch  the  condition  of  the  chicks, 
and  when  they  see  them  becoming  active  and  hunting  for  something; 
to  eat,  they  know  that  they  are  ready  for  their  first  meal.  It  is  a  mis- 
take to  coax  them  to  eat. 

The  chicks  are  not  removed  from  the  incubator  until  they  are  forty- 
eight  hours  old,  and  their  first  meal  consists  of  a  little  pin  head  oat 
meal  scattered  on  a  board.  The  little  ones  are  then  allowed  to  help' 
themselves. 

After  that  they  are  fed  a  mixture  composed  of  equal  parts  (by 
measure)  of  chick-cracked  corn  (corn  cracked  to  about  pin-head  size), 
a  fine  grade  of  wheat  screenings  or  finely  cracked  wheat,  together  with 
some  fine  seeds.  These  seeds  are  in  mixture,  and  generally  for  sale  by 
large  seedsmen.  The  mixture  contains  clover,  timothy  and  wild  seeds, 
thus    giving   quite    a    variety.     The    wild    seeds    furnish    a    natural    food, 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  25 

such  as  is  secured  by  the  birds  or  chicks  while  out  on  range,  and  the 
Niagara  Farm  has  found  the  entire  mixture  of  more  vakie  than  any  of 
the  commercial  chick  feeds  that  they  have  ever  tried. 

After  a  week  or  ten  days,  a  mash  is  also  used,  consisting  of  one- 
third  hard-boiled  eggs  (the  infertile  eggs  tested  out  of  the  incubator  are 
used  for  this  purpose)  and  two-thirds  of  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of 
cornmeal  and  bran,  mixed  thoroughly  by  hand.  The  hard-boiled  eggs, 
shells  and  all,  are  chopped  up  in  an  Enterprise  meat  chopper.  The 
shells  of  the  eggs  furnish  lime  that  helps  to  build  up  bone.  This  food 
is  given  twice  a  day.  At  all  times,  grit,  charcoal  and  dry  bran,  kept  in 
small  boxes  are  constantly  before  the  chicks,  so  they  can  help  them- 
selves at  will. 

This  system  is  followed  up  until  the  chicks  leave  the  brooder  house 
— when  four  to  six  weeks  old,  according  to  the  time  of  the  year. 

After  that  age  they  are  given  a  grain  ration  of  equal  parts,  by  meas- 
ure, of  cracked  corn  and  wheat  screenings,  or  wheat.  Also,  a  mash  of 
one  part  low-grade  flour,  with  about  one-twentieth  part  beef  scraps,  all 
by  measure. 

Green  bone  is  not  fed  at  Niagara  Farm,  as  it  is  claimed  that  after  giv- 
ing both  beef  scraps  and  green  bone  careful  trials  the  stock  did  better 
on  the  beef  scraps,  and  considerable  labor  is  saved  by  not  being  com- 
pelled to  cut  the  bone,  as  is  the  case  with  green  bone. 

From  the  time  the  chicks  are  three  days  old,  up  until  they  are  placed 
on  range,  which  is  at  the  age  of  six  or  eight  weeks,  they  are  fed  twice 
a  day  all  the  green  feed  they  can  consume.  The  green  food  is  any  kind 
of  green  stuff  that  is  available,  such  as  grass,  rye,  wheat,  oats,  corn,  etc. 
It  is  cut  up  into  one-eighth  inch  lengths,  so  the  chicks  can  readily  pick 
it  up. 

In  winter  when  it  is  difficult  to  get  succulent  green  feed,  cabbage, 
boiled  potatoes,  onions,  beets,  sprouted  oats  or  ensilage  is  used. 

The  grains  and  seeds  fed  the  chicks  are  scattered  among  cut  clover 
so  that  the  little  ones  will  be  compelled  to  scratch  and  thus  take  exer- 
cise. Drinking  water  is  allowed  from  the  start,  which  is  changed  twice 
a  day  in  winter  and  three  times  a  day  in  summer. 

After  the  chicks  are  removed  to  the  fireless  brooders,  the  hard- 
boiled  egg  ingredient  in  the  ration  is  dropped  and  beef  scrap  substi- 
tuted. After  the  first  two  weeks  of  age,  the  supply  of  hard-boiled  egg 
is  cut  down  to  about  one-half  the  quantity,  and  when  beef  scrap  is  sub- 
stituted the  egg  part  is  again  lowered  to  about  one-tenth  to  one-fifteenth. 

Feeding!  Chicks  on  Ran^e 

When  the  chicks  are  placed  on  range,  if  hatched  before  the  first  of 
April,  they  are  given  a  dry  mash  all  the  time;  and  grain,  scattered,  twice 
a  day.  The  dry  mash  is  composed  of  the  same  materials  and  propor- 
tions as  given  in  a  wet  mash  to  younger  chicks,  while  the  grain  ration 
is  changed  to  two-thirds  wheat  and  one-third  corn. 

Chicks  hatched  after  the  first  of  April,  when  placed  on  range  are 
given  a  mash  of  bran,  middlings,  cornmeal,  flour  and  beef  scraps. 

Herewith    is   given   a   copy   of  the   schedule   posted   up   in   the   feed 


26 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


room,   showing  proportions  of  each  ingredient  for  a  given  number  of 
pails  or  bushels : 


Pails  or  Bushels 

Bran 

M 

iddlings 

Flour 

Cornmeal 

Beef  Scrap 

I 

Z-7 

1-7 

5-21 

1-7 

I-2I 

2 

6-7 

2-7 

IO-2I 

2-7 

2-21 

3 

I   2-7 

Z-7 

15-21 

3-7 

1-7 

4 

I  5-7 

4-7 

20-21 

4-7 

4-21 

5 

2    1-7 

5-7 

I 

4-21 

5-7 

5-21 

6 

2  4-7 

6-7 

I 

Z-1 

6-7 

6-21 

7 

3 

I 

2-3 

t-3 

8 

3  3-7 

1-7 

I 

19-21 

1-7 

8-21 

9 

3  6-7 

2-7 

2 

1-7 

2-7 

z-1 

10 

4  2-7 

3-7 

2 

8-21 

3-7 

10-21 

II 

4  5-7 

4-7 

2 

13-21 

4-7 

11-21 

12 

5  1-7 

5-7 

2 

18-21 

5-7 

13-21 

Note. — The  solution  of  the  above  table  is  to  reduce  to  quarts.  For 
instance,  a  bushel  contains  thirty-two  quarts,  or  a  pail  (three  gallon) 
holds  twelve  quarts. 

Chicks  on  range  are  fed  a  soft  wet  mash  mixed  very  dry  for  quick 
growth,  or  fed  dry  mash  for  slower  growth,  according  to  age  of  chick. 
Chicks  intended  for  breeders  are  generally  fed  a  dry  mash,  and  those 
for  market  are  given  a  wet  mash.  In  the  case  of  late  hatched  chicks, 
a  wet  mash  is  fed  to  force  growth. 

The  point  to  be  remembered,  and  which  is  closely  followed  at 
Niagara  Farm,  is  this  rule  of  proportions :  In  the  start  the  chicks  are 
fed  a  proportion  of  four  parts  of  bran  to  one  part  of  meal.  Later  in  the 
season  (about  July)  the  start  is  made  with  two-thirds  meal  and  one- 
third  bran,  and  gradually  lessening  the  meal  and  increasing  the  bran 
until  the  chicks  are  taken  from  the  range  and  given  laying  food.     The 


The  feed  is  sent  out  on  trucks  to  the  stock  on  range,  for  which 
regular  railway  tracks  are  built 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  2/ 

feed  on  range  is  about  four  of  bran  to  one  of  meal.     Niagara  Farm  is 
a  great  believer  in  bran  as  a  chick   feed.     A  box  of  dry  bran  is  con- 
stantly  before   them.     It  being  an   excellent   bone   and   muscle   food   is  ; 
gradually  increased  as  the  growth  of  the  chick  requires  it. 

Dry  bran  is  also  an  excellent  bowel  regulator,  while  wet  bran  has 
a  strong  tendency  to  produce  bowel  troubles  in  young  chicks.  Diar- 
rhoea is  more  or  less  rare  among  brooder  chicks  where  dry  bran  is  con- 
stantly kept  before  them,  so  that  they  can  help  themselves  at  will. 

Feeding  the  Breeding  Stock 

The  breeding  fowls  are  fed  a  mash  slightly  moistened.  It  is  placed 
in  hoppers  so  the  stock  can  help  themselves  at  all  times.  All  the  grains 
fed  are  scattered  over  a  territory  as  far  as  they  can  be  broadcasted. 
The  breeders  are  kept  on  range  for  about  nine  months  of  the  year. 

A  light  grain  feed  is  given  in  the  morning,  between  the  hours  of 
seven  and  eight  o'clock,  and  another  grain  feed  between  the  hours  of 
five  and  six  in  the  afternoon.  About  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon the  hoppers  are  again  refilled  with  a  mash. 

The  following  table  gives  the  formula  for  feeding  the  breeding  and 
stock  birds.  The  mash  is  fed  wet,  mixed  very  dry,  when  fertile  eggs 
are  wanted,  and  in  case  the  eggs  are  intended  for  market  purposes,  the 
amount  of  beef  scrap  is  doubled : 


ishels 

Bran 

Flour 

Meal 

Oatmeal 

Widdlings 

( 

Green 
Food 

Oilmeal 

Beef  Scrap 

I 

1-6 

I-I2 

1-6 

I-I2 

1-6 

1-6 

I-I2 

I-I2 

2 

1-3 

1-6 

1-3 

1-6 

1-3 

1-3 

1-6 

1-6 

3 

1-2 

1-4 

1-2 

1-4 

1-2 

1-2 

1-4 

1-4 

4 

2-i 

1-3 

2-3 

1-3 

2-3 

2-3 

1-3 

1-3 

S 

5-6 

5-12 

5-6 

5-12 

5-6 

5-6 

5-12 

5-12 

6 

1-2 

1-2 

1-2 

1-2 

7 

1-8 

7-12 

1-6 

7-12 

1-6 

1-6 

7-12 

7-12 

8 

1-3 

2-3 

1-3 

2-3 

1-3 

1-3 

2-3 

2-3 

9 

1-2 

3-4 

1-2 

3-4 

1-2 

1-2 

3-4 

3-4 

10 

2-3 

5-6 

2-3 

5-6 

2-3 

2-3 

5-6 

5-6 

II 

5-6 

II-I2 

5-6 

II-I2 

5-6 

5-6 

II-I2 

II-I2 

12 

2 

I 

2 

I 

2 

2 

I 

I 

How  Often  to  Feed 

The  first  two  days  the  ducklings  have  a  little  feed  left  before  them 
all  the  time,  so  they  may  help  themselves  at  will.  After  that  they  are 
fed  four  times  a  day — at  5  o'clock  and  9  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  at 
I  o'clock  and  5  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  young  chicks  are  fed  every  two  hours  from  6  o'clock  in  the 
morning  until  6  o'clock  in  the  evening.  This  is  kept  up  until  the  chicks 
are  placed  in  the  fireless  brooders,  when  they  are  fed  but  four  times 
a  day,  equal  number  of  hours  apart,  beginning  at  6  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing and  ending  at  6  o'clock  in  the  evening.  After  they  go  to  the  colony 
houses  they  are  fed  at  6  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  at  noon,  and  in 


28 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


DUCKS   AT   NIAGARA    FARM 

The  illustration  shows  the  feeder  attending  to  the  wants  of  one  of  the  flocks  of  breeding 
ducks.     Everyone  has  answered  the  roll  call 

the  evening  from  4  to  6  o'clock,  according  to  the  time  of  the  year,  being 
governed  by  the  time  of  sunset. 

When  the  chicks  are  removed  to  the  fireless  brooders,  the  number 
of  mashes  are  dropped  to  one,  and  the  richness  of  the  mash  is  de- 
creased. A  rich  mash  is  not  again  given  until  the  young  fowls  are  placed 
into  laying  quarters. 


A  Couple  of  Feeding  Wrinkles 


Niagara  Farm  has  discovered  the  fact  that  by  feeding  March- 
hatched  stock  a  light  dry  mash,  composed  of  three  parts  bran,  one  patt 
cornmeal,  one  part  flour,  with  five  per  cent,  beef  scrap,  they  will  not 
be  so  apt  to  go  into  molt  in  the  fall,  as  when  they  are  fed  a  wet  mash. 
Pullets  thus  fed  will,  as  a  rule,  begin  laying  in  the  fall. 

When  cockerels  are  found  that  have  a  broad,  flat  rump,  with  no  tail 
feathers,  nor  long  legs,  and  not  too  much  head,  nor  big  comb  and  wat- 
tles, they  have  the  requirements  of  a  good  roasting  fowl,  and  are  placed 
in  the  duck  fattening  pens.  The  ducks  waste  considerable  feed,  and  as 
their  mash  is  of  exceptional  richness,  the  fowls  grow  very  fast  on  it. 

When  feeding  time  comes,  the  ducks  rush  to  the  troughs  and  gulp 
down  a  lot  of  feed,  then  rush  for  drinking  water,  then  back  again,  and 
so  on,  all  the  time  in  this  way  dropping  food  and  wasting  it.  While  the 
ducks  are  thus  feasting,  the  chickens  in  the  pen  stand  back  at  a  safe  dis- 
tance awaiting  a  chance  to  get  at  the  "  remnants."  After  the  ducks  have 
finished,  the  chickens  begin  filling  their  crops  to  overflowing.  The  Cur- 
tisses  say  that  they  can  fatten  chickens  in  the  duck  pens  in  almost  half 
the  time  that  they  can  in  any  other  way  they  ever  tried. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  29 

How  the  Ducks  Are  Fed 

When  the  ducklings  are  placed  in  the  nursery,  they  are  fed  a  mash 
composed  of  bran,  flour,  shredded  wheat,  oatmeal,  cornmeal,  beef  scraps 
and  clover,  in  proportions  as  explained  in  Formula  No.  i.  The  oatmeal 
mentioned  is  really  oatmeal  middlings,  being  the  finer  part  of  screened 
oatmeal. 

When  taken  from  the  nursery  and  placed  in  the  brooder,  the  bill-of- 
fare  changes,  as  is  shown  in  Formula  No.  2.  If  cut  clover  is  given  in- 
stead of  green  food,  double  the  amount  is  allowed. 

After  the  ducklings  are  placed  in  the  cold  brooder.  Formula  No.  3 
is  given. 

When  the  ducks  attain  the  age  of  six  weeks,  they  are  placed  in  fat- 
tening pens,  and  for  four  or  five  weeks  are  given  Formula  No.  4. 
Niagara  Farm  several  years  ago  discovered  that  they  made  a  mistake 
when  they  changed  the  food  in  the  middle  of  the  fattening  period.  Since 
they  feed  no  fattening  food  at  all  for  the  first  six  weeks,  and  then  for 
four  or  five  weeks  give  fattening  food  exclusively,  they  are  able  to  pro- 
duce better  carcasses  in^the  entire  flock. 

The  amount  of  beef  scrap  mentioned  in  Formula  No.  4  is  correct  if 
bone  soup  is  used  to  mix  the  feed.  If  not,  then  the  quantity  of  beef 
scrap  mentioned  is  doubled. 

This  bone  soup  is  made  from  green  bone.  For  the  purpose  a  large 
condensing  tank  is  used,  which  has  a  capacity  of  twelve  barrels.  Steam 
is  turned  on  all  day,  eighty  pounds  pressure,  which  reduces  the  bone 
to  a  fluid.  The  tank  is  filled  half  full  of  bone,  and  enough  water  added 
to  cover  within  a  foot  of  the  top  of  the  tank. 

It  is  a  noted  fact  that  ducks  eat  more  than  twice  the  amount  of  food 
at  night  that  they  do  in  the  morning.  Experiments  show  that  a  duck 
will  consume  on  an  average,  eight  ounces  of  mash  in  the  morning,  and 
twelve  to  twenty  ounces  at  night.  One  hundred  ducks  will  consume  as 
much  as  seventy-five  quarts  of  food  a  day. 


Formula  No.  I  —  Nursery  Feed 


'ails 

Bran 

Flour 

Shredded    Oatmeal 
Wheat 

Cornmeal 

Beet 

Scrap 

Clover 

I 

1-5 

I-IO 

1-5           I-IO 

1-5 

1-20 

3-20 

2 

2-5 

1-5 

2-5         1-5 

2-5 

I-IO 

3-10 

3 

3-5 

3-10 

3-5        3-10 

3-5 

3-20 

9-20 

4 

4-5 

2-5 

4-5        2-5 

4-5 

1-5 

3-5 

5 

1-2 

I                1-2 

1-4 

3-4 

6 

1-5 

3-5 

I  1-5        3-5 

1-5 

3-10 

9-10 

7 

2-5 

7-10 

I  2-5        7-10 

2-5 

7-20 

I   1-20 

8 

3-5 

4-5 

I  3-5        4-5 

3-5 

2-5 

I  1-5 

9 

4-5 

9-10 

I  4-5        9-10 

4-5 

9-20 

I  7-20 

10 

2 

I 

2            I 

2 

1-2 

I  1-2 

30  CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 

Formula  No.  2  —  Brooder  Feed 


'ail! 

5  or  Bushels 

G 

reen 

Bran 

Flour 

Cornmeal 

Cracked 

Beef 

Feed 

Corn 

Scrap 

I 

1-4 

3-7 

1-7 

3-28 

1-28 

1-28 

2 

1-2 

6-7 

2-7 

3-14 

I-I4 

I-I4 

3 

3-4 

I 

2-7 

3-7 

9-28 

3-28 

3-28 

4 

I 

I 

5-7 

4-7 

Z-7 

1-7 

1-7 

5 

I 

1-4 

2 

1-7 

5-7 

15-28 

5-28 

5-28 

6 

I 

1-2 

2 

4-7 

6-7 

9-14 

6-28 

6-28 

7 

I 

3-4 

3 

I 

3-4 

1-4 

1-4 

8 

2 

3 

3-7 

I  1-7 

6-7 

^-7 

2-7 

9 

2 

1-4 

3 

6-7 

I    2-7 

27-28 

9-28 

9-28 

10 

2 

1-2 

4 

2-7 

I  yi 

1-14 

5-14 

5-14 

II 

2 

3-4 

4  5-7 

I  4-7 

5-28 

11-28 

11-28 

12 

3 

5 

1-7 

I  5-7 

2-7 

Z-7 

Z-l 

13 

3 

1-4 

5 

4-7 

I  6-7 

11-28 

13-28 

13-28 

14 

3 

1-2 

6 

2 

1-2 

1-2 

1-2 

Formula  No.  3  —  Cold  Brooder  Feed 


ills  or  Bushels 

Gi 

reen 

B 

ran 

Flour 

Cornmeal 

Cracked 

Beef  Scrap 

F 

eed 

Corn 

I 

1-3 

1-3 

1-8 

1-8 

1-24 

1-24 

2 

2-3 

2-3 

1-4 

1-4 

I-I2 

I-I2 

3 

I 

I 

3-8 

3-8 

1-8 

1-8 

4 

I 

1-3 

I 

1-3 

1-2 

1-2 

1-6 

1-6 

5 

I 

2-3 

I 

2-?> 

5-8 

5-8 

5-24 

5-24 

6 

2 

2 

3-4 

3-4 

1-4 

1-4 

7 

2 

1-3 

2 

1-3 

7-8 

7-8 

7-24 

7-24 

8 

2 

2-2> 

2 

2-3 

1-3 

1-3 

9 

3 

3 

1-8 

1-8 

3-8 

3-8 

10 

3 

1-3 

3 

1-3 

1-4 

1-4 

5-12 

5-12 

II 

3 

2-3 

3 

2-3 

3-8 

3-8 

11-24 

11-24 

12 

4 

4 

1-2 

1-2 

1-2 

1-2 

Formula  No.  4  —  Fattening  Food 


'ails  or  Bushels 

Green 
Feed 

Bran 

Low  Grade 
Flour 

Cornmeal 

Whole  Corn 

Beef  Scrap- 

I 

1-2 

1-5 

3-40 

3-20 

1-20 

1-40 

2 

I 

2-5 

3-20 

3-10 

I-IO 

1-20 

3 

I    1-2 

3-5 

9-40 

9-20 

3-20 

3-40 

4 

2 

4-5 

3-10 

3-5 

1-5 

I-IO 

5 

2    1-2 

I 

3-8 

3-4 

1-4 

1-8 

6 

3 

I  1-5 

9-20 

3-10 

3-10 

3-20 

7 

3  1-2 

I  2-5 

21-20 

I   1-20 

7-20 

7-40 

8 

4 

I  3-5 

3-5 

I  1-5 

2-5 

1-5 

9 

4  1-2 

I  4-5 

27-40 

I  7-20 

9-20 

9-40 

10 

5 

2 

3-4 

I  1-2 

1-2 

1-4 

CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  3I 


II 

5  1-2 

2  1-5 

33-40 

I  13-20 

11-20 

11-40 

12 

6 

2  2-5 

9-10 

I  4-5 

3-5 

3-10 

13 

6  1-2 

2  3-5 

39-40 

I   19-20 

13-20 

13-40 

14 

7 

2  4-5 

I   1-20 

2    I-IO 

7-10 

7-20 

15 

7  1-2 

3 

I   1-8 

2  1-4 

3-4 

3-8 

16 

8 

3  1-5 

I  1-5 

2  2-5 

4-5 

2-5 

17 

8  1-2 

3  2-5 

I  11-40 

2    11-40 

17-20 

17-40 

18 

9 

3  3-5 

I  7-20 

2   7-10 

9-10 

9-20 

19 

9  1-2 

3  4-5 

I  7-40 

2    7-20 

19-20 

19-40 

Formula  No.  5  —  Breeding  Ducks  Feed 


Pails  or 
,Sushels 

Cut  Clover 

Bran 

Cornmeal 

F 

lour 

Oatmeal 
Mid. 

C^orn 

Beef  Scrap 

I 

2-5 

1-5 

3-20 

I-IO 

1-20 

1-20 

1-20 

2 

4-5 

2-5 

3-10 

1-5 

I-IO 

I-IO 

I-IO 

3 

I  1-5 

3-5 

9-20 

3-10 

3-20 

3-20 

3-20 

4 

I  3-5 

4-5 

3-5 

2-5 

1-5 

1-5 

1-5 

5 

2 

I 

3-4 

1-2 

1-4 

1-4 

1-4 

6 

2   2-5 

I  1-5 

9-10 

3-5 

3-10 

3-10 

3-10 

7 

2  4-5 

I    2-5 

1-20 

7-10 

7-20 

7-20 

7-20 

8 

3  1-5 

I  3-5 

1-5 

4-5 

2-5 

2-5 

2-5 

9 

3  3-5 

I  4-5 

7-20 

9-10 

9-20 

9-20 

9-20 

10 

4 

2 

1-2 

1-2 

1-2 

1-2 

II 

4  2-5 

2  1-5 

13-20 

I-IO 

11-20 

11-20 

11-20 

12 

4  4-5 

2   2-5 

4-5 

1-5 

3-5 

3-5 

3-5 

13 

5  1-5 

2  3-5 

19-20 

3-10 

13-20 

13-20 

13-20 

14 

5  3-5 

2  4-5 

2 

I-IO 

2-5 

7-10 

7-10 

7-10 

15 

6 

3 

2 

1-4 

1-2 

3-4 

3-4 

3-4 

i6 

6  2-5 

3  1-5 

2 

2-5 

3-5 

4-5 

4-5 

4-5 

17 

6  4-5 

3  2-5 

2 

11-20 

7-10 

17-20 

17-20 

17-20 

i8 

7  1-5 

3  3-5 

2 

7-10 

4-5 

9-10 

9-10 

9-10 

19  7  3-5    3  4-5    2  17-20    I  9-10    19-20    19-20    19-20 

20  8      4      3        2      I       I       I 

Formula  No.  6  —  Stock  Duck  Feed 


pails  or  Bushels 

Green 
Feed 

Bran 

Cornmeal 

Whole  Corn 

Flour 

Beef  Scrap 

I 

1-2 

5-16 

1-24 

1-24 

I-I2 

1-48 

2 

I 

5-8 

I-I2 

I-I2 

1-6 

1-24 

3 

I 

1-2 

15-16 

1-8 

1-8 

1-4 

I-16 

4 

2 

I 

1-4 

1-6 

1-6 

1-3 

I-I2 

5 

2 

1-2 

I 

9-16 

5-24 

5-24 

5-12 

5-48 

6 

3 

I 

7-8 

1-4 

1-4 

1-2 

1-8 

7 

3 

1-2 

2 

3-16 

7-24 

7-24 

7-12 

7-48 

8 

4 

2 

1-2 

1-3 

1-3 

2-3 

1-6 

9 

4 

1-2 

2 

13-16 

3-8 

3-8 

3-4 

3-16 

10 

5 

3 

1-8 

5-12 

5-12 

5-6 

5-24 

II 

5 

1-2 

3 

7-16 

11-24 

11-24 

11-12 

11-48 

32 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


12 

6 

3 

3-^ 

1-2 

1-2 

[ 

1-4 

13 

6 

1-2 

4 

i-i6 

13-24 

13-24    1 

1-12 

13-48 

14 

7 

4 

3-8 

7-12 

7-12    1 

1-6 

7-24 

15 

7 

1-2 

4 

11-16 

15-24 

15-24    ] 

1-4 

5-16 

i6 

8 

5 

2-3 

2-3 

1-3 

1-3 

17 

8 

1-2 

5 

5-16 

17-24 

17-24 

5-12 

17-48 

i8 

9 

5 

5-8 

3-4 

3-4     1 

1-2 

3-8 

19 

9 

1-2 

5 

15-16 

19-24 

19-24 

17-12 

19-48 

20 

lO 

6 

1-4 

5-6 

5-6 

[  2-Z 

5-12 

21 

10 

1-2 

6 

9-16 

21-24 

21-24 

3-4 

7-16 

22 

II 

6 

7-8 

11-12 

11-12 

I  5-6 

11-24 

23 

II 

1-2 

7 

3-16 

23-24 

23-24 

[  11-12 

23-48 

24 

12 

7 

1-2 

I 

I      2 

1-2 

SECTION   OF   NURSE  I?  V    AT   NIAGARA    FARJl 

Second    floor   of  large   Incubator   House.      Not   less   than   fifty   thousand    chicks  each   season 
spend   the  first  ten   days  of  their  life   in  this  immense   room 


Brooding  the  Chicks  and  Ducklings 


The  vvidtli  of  the  pens  in  the  chick  brooder  house  (which  is  on  the 
second  floor  of  the  large  incubator  building)  is  three  feet,  and  the  length 
twenty  feet.  These  pens  are  arranged  on  both  sides  of  the  building,  with 
an  eight-foot  alleyway.  The  heating  is  done  by  the  old-style  top  heat 
pipe  system,  being  a  series  of  four  one-and-a-quarter  inch  pipes — two 
flows  and  two  returns.  The  hover  is  a  twenty-inch  square  platform,  with 
a  three-inch  hole  bored  in  the  center  for  ventilation.  Fringe  is  hung  on 
the  four  sides  of  the  platform.  As  the  hover  is  placed  four  inches  from, 
both  the  back  and  the  sides,  the  chicks  will  not  crowd,  and  should  they 
become  too  warm  can  readily  get  out  into  a  more  cool  atmosphere. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


35 


This  second  floor  brooding  house  will  hold  8,000  chicks  at  one  time. 
On  the  outside  of  each  brooding  pen  is  erected  a  four-foot  run,  enclosed' 
with  wire  netting.  This  run  is  practically  a  platform  erected  on  the  style 
of  a  roof  garden,  and  so  arranged  that  the  chicks  can  at  any  time  get 
out  of  doors  into  the  open  air  and  sunshine. 

All  the  windows  open  from  bottom  out,  and  are  fastened  by  a  long, 
iron  rod.  The  sash  swinging  out  acts  as  a  shield  in  case  of  rain  storms,- 
and  at  the  same  time  the  chicks  are  not  deprived  of  the  fresh  air. 

The  young  are  kept  in  the  heated  brooders  for  from  one  to  three- 
weeks,  according  to  the  condition  of  the  weather,  and  then  they  are- 
trained  to  use  the  fireless  brooders.  This  is  done  by  placing  a  fireless- 
brooder  in  the  run  of  the  heated  brooder,  up  near  the  hover,  and  putting: 
a  board  on  each  side  of  the  brooder  so  the  chicks  cannot  pass  back  to- 
where  there  is  heat.  Being  at  practically  the  same  spot  to  which  they 
had  becom^e  accustomed,  they  gradually  learn  to  enter.  In  a  few  days- 
there  is  no  more  trouble,  and  the  chicks  go  over  to  the  cold  brooder. 

After  making  repeated  experiments,  Niagara  Farm  has  learned  the 
lesson  that  not  only  will  three-fourths  of  the  labor  be  saved,  but  the 
mortality  will  be  considerably  reduced  by  putting  the  chicks  under  heat 
for  the  first  week  or  so  of  their  life.  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  them 
from  crowding,  should  they  not  be  comfortable,  and  the  newly-hatched 
chick,  like  the  new-born  babe,  requires  warmth  more  than  it  does  food. 
When  given  this  heat  in  the  start,  by  the  time  they  are  removed  to  the 
fireless  brooders  they  have  developed  in  strength  and  body  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  animal  heat  generating  in  the  fireless  brooder  at  once- 
makes  them  comfortable. 

The  Curtisses  say  that  the  method  of  using  fireless  brooders  from  the- 
start  is  not  practical.  They  admit  it 
is  possible  to  begin  chicks  in  that 
way,  but  it  requires  too  much 
watching  and  care  the  first  ten  days, 
and  therefore  find  that  it  is  much 
easier  and  better  to  allow  artificial 
heat  at  the  start  for  the  first  ten  days 
in  summer  and  spring,  and  from 
two  to  three  weeks  in  winter.  Arti- 
ficial heat  teaches  the  youngsters 
where  to  go  to  get  warm,  and  once 
having  learned  the  lesson  they  seem 
never  to  forget  it. 

Where  only  a  limited  number 
of  chicks  are  to  be  raised^say  about 
fifty — it  would  hardly  be  necessary 
to  purchase  a  heated  brooder.  In- 
stead a  jug  of  hot  water,  or  a 
heated  brick  or  soapstone  wrapped 
up  in  an  old  cloth  to  keep  it  from 
burning  the  chicks,  and  placed  in  the  PLO^VING 

center    of    the    fireless    brooder,    two         The  soil  in  the  Chick  Runs  is  kept  loose- 

,,  ..  J  r  1         (-  This  is  done  by  means  of  a   hand-plow, 

or    three    times    a    day    for    the    first  keeping  a  man  busy  the  entire  season 


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CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  35 

week  will  answer  the  purpose  very  well.  After  that  no  artificial  heat  will 
be  needed.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  use  very  many  cushions  on  top 
while  artificial  heat  is  employed.  Should  the  brooder  be  placed  in  a 
heated  room,  no  cushions  are  needed,  just  the  burlap  on  frame  inside 
the  brooder  that  bags  down  on  the  chicks'  backs.  When  the  artificial 
heat  is  taken  away,  more  cushions  must  be  used  to  retain  the  heat  of  the 
chicks'  body. 

One  very  important  matter  in  brooding  is  to  clean  out  the  boxes  at 
least  twice  a  week,  and  three  times  would  be  better.  Clean  and  disinfect 
the  runs,  boxes,  etc.,  after  each  batch  of  chicks  and  spray  inside  of 
boxes  with  kerosene  oil  twice  a  month. 

The  ducklings  are  brooded  in  pens  four  to  five  feet  in  width,  and 
twelve  feet  in  length,  according  to  the  age  of  the  young. 

In  addition  to  the  brooder  room  over  the  big  incubator  cellar, 
Niagara  Farm  has  a  winter  nursery  brooder  house,  no  feet  long  (to 
be  lengthened  to  i6o  feet  for  next  season),  sixteen  feet  wide,  gable 
roof,  shingled,  ceiled  over  head  at  plate  inside,  double  boarded  with 
heavy  building  paper  between.  Windows  two  feet  from  floor  extend 
up  to  ceiling;  basement  under  filled  with  incubators;  floor  for  chicks 
divided  into  three-foot  pens;  heat  supplied  by  radiators  along  back  wall. 

The  Curtisses  have  in  the  past  season  discovered  a  way  to  teach 
chicks  to  go  in  and  out  of  fireless  brooder  without  artificial  heat  and  this 
method  is  used  in  this  building.  W.  R.  Curtiss,  who  has  charge  of  the 
brooder  experiments,  says  that  by  next  season  he  will  be  able  to  brood 
in  this  house  lOO  chicks  for  every  foot  in  length  of  building;  at  present 
they  are  brooding  fifty  chicks  to  each  eight-foot  pen.  Outside  runs  are 
twelve  feet  long,  two  feet  higher  than  outside  ground  at  end,  and  four 
feet  where  chicks  leave  brooder  house.  This  gives  a  dry  pen  no  matter 
how  hard  it  rains  or  how  long.  Fifteen  minutes  after  it  stops  chicks  can 
be  let  out.  Chicks  are  kept  in  this  house  three  to  four  weeks;  first  week 
to  two  weeks  they  are  not  let  outdoors  unless  very  fine  weather.  Floors 
and  fireless  brooders  are  covered  and  bedded  with  cut  clover  which  is 
made  on  the  farm.  The  fresh  cut  clover  is  put  in  fireless  brooders  first, 
then  when  cleaned  are  dumped  in  chick  pens  in  house  in  which  they 
scratch  for  grain.  Later  it  is  swept  outdoors,  where  if  any  grains  are 
missed  they  again  have  a  chance  to  find  them.  There  is  a  four-foot  walk 
along  back  of  this  building  from  which  chicks  are  fed  and  watered 
except  the  older  ones,  which  are  fed  and  watered  outdoors  when  weather 
will  permit.  This  building  is  heated  by  a  large  hard  coal  heater  in  base- 
ment of  building.  There  is  also  a  bedroom  for  attendant  in  one  end, 
and  feed  room  at  the  other. 

The  cold  brooders  for  the  chicks  for  spring  and  summer  work  con- 
sist of  a  series  of  forty-four  separate  houses,  abutting  against  each  other. 
Each  house  measures  6  by  8  feet,  large  enough  for  fifty  chicks  in 
a  flock.  Here  they  are  placed  when  about  five  weeks  old.  In  front  of 
each  house  is  a  yard  30  by  6  feet.  These  yards  are  being  con- 
tinuall}'  plowed  up  by  a  small  Planet,  Jr.,  hand-plow,  so  that  the  soil 
will  be  loose  and  the  chicks  can  readily  scratch  in  it. 

This  plowing,  too,  has  an  advantage  in  disinfecting  the  soil,  by  turn- 


36  CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 

ing  under  the  excrement,  and  throwing  up  clean,  pure  ground.  After 
the  season  is  over,  these  yards  are  planted  to  a  green  crop  like  rye,  and 
thus  the  soil  is  again  sweetened  for  another  season,  besides  a  crop  of 
needed  green  food  is  raised. 

One  of  the  secrets  of  the  success  of  Niagara  Farm  is  that  they  allow 
nothing  to  be  idle,  but  make  even  the  soil  yield  them  an  income. 

Another  building  used  for  brooder  purposes  is  the  winter  chick 
brooder.  This  building  is  20  by  1 10.  Basement  under  filled  with 
incubators.  (It  is  intended  another  season  to  lengthen  this  building 
100  feet.)  Heat  is  supplied  by  a  heater  in  basement  and  ten  runs  of  two- 
inch  pipe  along  back  wall.  No  fireless  brooders  or  any  brooding 
arrangement  used;  building  kept  at  seventy  degrees  and  chicks  brought 
from  nursery  here,  where  they  are  kept  in  flocks  of  500  to  1,000  each. 

At  night  they  sit  along  walk  at  back  and  seem  very  comfortable 
and  cozy.  The  building  has  a  single  slant  roof  high  side  facing  south. 
The  runs  are  fifty  feet  long,  outdoors  well  drained.  Here  the  chicks 
are  kept  until  eight  to  ten  weeks  old,  at  which  time  if  intended  for  broil- 
ers, they  are  marketed;  or  if  pullets  are  to  be  kept  for  laying,  they  are 
removed  to  a  building  without  heat.  This  building  is  covered  outside 
with  a  white  asbestos  roofing  paper  that  does  not  draw  cold  in  winter 
or  heat  in  summer,  and  is  practically  fireproof.  Front  windows  are 
four  feet  from  floor,  building  is  nine  feet  high  in  front,  six  feet  at  back. 
In  stormy  bad  weather  it  is  ventilated  at  highest  point  in  each  end  by  a 
window  swinging  down  from  top.  Pens  are  from  ten  to  twenty-five 
feet  wide.  The  feeding  and  watering  are  done  from  back  in  stormy 
weather,  which  is  most  of  the  time  in  winter. 

Feathering  and  Molting 

As  has  been  the  experience  of  all  breeders  of  Leghorn  fowls,  the 
chicks  very  rapidly  develop  wing  feathers.  It  is  common  to  have  them 
grow  so  fast  that  the  strength  of  the  chick  is  fairly  drawn  from  the  body, 
and  in  consequence  the  wings  droop  and  the  chicks  becomes  weak.  Every 
effort  possible  was  made  on  Niagara  Farm  to  counteract  this  trouble,  but 
without  avail.  Finally  clipping  the  tips  of  the  wing  feathers  of  the 
chicks,  when  three  or  four  days  old,  was  resorted  to,  and  it  worked  like 
a  charm.  It  proved  that  this  had  a  tendency  to  send  the  strength  back 
to  the  body,  or  rather,  keep  it  there,  and,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  the 
mash  given  is  of  a  very  rich  order,  it  helped  the  youngsters  over  that 
fatal  period. 

The  general  richness  of  the  mash  has  also  a  wonderful  eflfect  in 
feathering  the  Wyandottes  and  the  Plymouth  Rocks. 

The  molting  period  usually  lasts  about  three  months.  August  is  the 
beginning  of  the  period  for  the  younger  fowls,  while  with  the  older  ones 
it  seldom  begins  for  a  month  or  two  later,  according  to  age. 

On  Niagara  Farm  they  aim  to  start  the  molting  process  in  July,  so 
that  the  fowls  may  be  through  with  it  by  the  first  of  September.  The 
breeding  stock  at  this  time  are  on  free  range,  and,  beginning  in  July  the 
mash  and  grain  feeding  is  discontinued.  This  compels  the  fowls  to 
depend  entirely  on  what  green  food  and  bugs  they  can  find.     Naturally 


38  CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 

this  gets  them  into  a  thin  condition.  As  soon  as  it  is  noticed  that  indi- 
vidual specimens  of  the  flock  act  weak,  the  feeding  is  resumed,  allowing 
only  a  small  quantity  at  first,  and  gradually  increasing  until  the  amount 
of  full  feed  is  reached.  This  method,  Niagara  Farm  has  found,  hastens 
the  shedding  of  the  feathers,  the  new  growth  starts,  and  the  hens  are 
ready  for  late  fall  and  winter  laying. 

The  breeding  ducks  are  fed  on  a  rich  mash  until  feathered,  when 
they  are  given  a  light  one. 

How  Green  Feed  Is  Supplied 

The  Curtiss  people  have  great  faith  in  green  food.  It  is  the  most 
important  part  of  their  bill-of-fare.  All  kinds  of  greens  that  are  available 
are  given  in  season,  especially  green  clover  and  other  grasses,  and  dur- 
ing the  winter  the  main  reliance  is  cut  clover  hay. 

Every  fall  they  sow  large  fields  of  wheat  and  rye.  The  rye  grows 
the  fastest,  making  green  feed  earlier  in  spring,  which  is  mowed  and  fed 
as  soon  as  it  is  of  sufficient  height.  By  the  time  the  rye  becomes  too 
coarse,  the  wheat  is  in  proper  condition  for  cutting. 

Oats  are  sown  in  early  spring,  and  this  comes  up  and  is  ready  for 
cutting  by  the  time  the  wheat  is  too  ripe  for  green  food.  After  the  oats 
follows  fodder  corn,  and  this  lasts  until  frost  comes,  when  the  cut  clover 
hay  is  substituted  and  fed  until  green  feed  comes  again  in  spring. 

On  the  range  occupied  by  the  chicks,  corn  is  previously  planted, 
and  when  it  has  grown  to  about  a  foot  in  height,  the  chicks  are  placed 
in  the  field.  Here  they  not  only  have  a  lot  of  insects  to  feast  upon,  but, 
naturally,  an  endless  amount  of  small  weeds  grow  up  which  furnishes 
them  excellent  tender  greens.  The  shade  made  by  the  corn  is  a  decided 
advantage  to  the  chicks,  and  they,  in  return,  furnish  the  crop  with 
manure.  This  plan  Niagara  Farm  has  tried  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
they  find  it  far  better  than  their  former  plan  of  placing  the  chicks  in  the 
meadow.  The  youngsters  grow  faster,  stay  in  a  more  vigorous  condi- 
tion, and  the  loss  is  very  small.  Fruit  trees  are  now  being  planted  in 
this  field,  which  will  make  it  possible  to  grow  three  crops  upon  the  same 
area — chickens,  corn  and  fruit. 

Colonizing  and  Mating  the  Stock  Birds 

The  laying  hens  are  quartered  on  range,  in  flocks  of  1,500  to  2,000 
in  a  flock.  There  are  two  rows  of  houses  used,  the  houses  being  about 
two  rods  apart.  Between  each  row  there  is  a  distance  of  twenty  rods. 
All  told,  there  are  two  hundred  colony  houses  on  the  farm. 

During  the  winter  the  eggs  are  gathered  three  times  a  day,  but  only 
once  a  day  during  the  summer  time. 

In  White  Wyandottes  and  White  Plymouth  Rocks,  where  exhibition 
stock  is  desired,  special  matings  are  made,  according  to  vigor  of  the 
male  bird,  giving  him  from  eight  to  a  dozen  females. 

Those  fowls  that  are  on  ransre  are  generally  mated  at  the  rate  of  a 
male  for  every  fifteen  or  eighteen  females.  For  Leghorns,  from  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  females  are  allowed  each  male. 


40 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


The  fowls  intended  for  breeding  or  exhibition  stock  have  a  range  in 
a  large  woods.  Being  sheltered  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  they 
keep  a  much  whiter  color. 

In  all  the  houses,  for  both  old  and  young  stock,  which  includes  both 
chickens  and  ducks,  planer  shavings  are  used  in  place  of  straw  bedding, 
which,  it  is  claimed,  are  not  only  cheaper,  but  serve  the  same  purpose  as 
does  the  straw. 

In  spring  the  breeding  ducks  have  a  range  of  about  twenty  acres. 
The  matings   run  from   thirty   ducks   and   five   drakes  to   flocks   of  three 


LAYING    TIME    AT    NIAGARA    FARM 

The   nests  in   the   Colony   Houses  on   Niagaa-a  Farm   are   crude   affairs,   but  they   are   nearly 
always   filled   by   busy   workers 


'hundred  ducks  and  fifty  drakes.  During  the  winter  the  breeding  ducks 
are  mated  at  the  rate  of  one  to  six;  that  is,  one  drake  to  six  ducks.  At 
times,  when  the  flocks  are  large,  trouble  will  arise  between  the  drakes, 
and  then  it  becomes  necessary  to  take  out  a  few  drakes  from  the  flock, 
leaving  about  a  drake  to  eight  or  nine  ducks.  This  generally  cuts  out 
about  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  the  ruptured  eggs.  A  ruptured  egg  is 
one  that  shows  a  blood  ring  in  the  egg. 

It  is  a  rule  on  Niagara  Farm  never  to  use  a  two-year-old  duck  for 
breeding.  In  every  case  they  use  the  young  stock.  Experience  has 
taught  them  that  to  get  good  fertility  they  must  not  use  kept-over  ducks, 
as  they  fatten  too  readily:  besides,  a  young  duck  will  begin  laying  two  or 
three  weeks  earlier  than  will  an  old  one.  These  old  ducks,  as  soon  as 
they  are  done  laying,  which  is  about  July  or  August,  are  sold  alive  to 
the  Polish  and  Italian  settlements  of  nearby  cities.  Some  of  them,  how- 
ever, are  also  sold,  dressed,  to  second-class  hotels. 

Lanterns  are  hung  each  night  in  the  different  duck  yards.  This  has 
a  wonderful  effect  in  keeping  them  quiet.  Instead  of  the  lanterns,  how- 
ever, electric  lights  are  about  being  installed.  In  fact,  they  will  not  only 
be  placed  in  the  duck  yards,  but  in  the  various  lanes  and  paths  on  the 
farm,  and  in  all  the  buildings,  a  convenience  that  will  be  exceptionally 
valuable. 

When  ducks  are  in  the  dark,  they  are  apt  to  stampede,  becoming 
-frightened  at  any  noise  or  object,  and  when  in  this  excitement  they  send 
out  a  deafening  cry.  It  can  be  imagined  the  racket  the  thousands  of 
ducks  on  Niagara  Farm  would  make. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


41 


How  the  Breeding  Stock  Is  Reared 

Each  year  considerable  stock  of  Wyandottes,  Plymouth  Rocks  and 
Leghorns  are  hatched  and  reared  for  special  matings,  so  that  the  fowls 
can  be  used  for  breeding  purposes.  In  order  that  there  may  be  no 
chance  for  getting  them  mixed  they  hatch  and  raise  these  chicks  by  hens. 

For  this  purpose  rows  of  outdoor  box  nests  are  made,  to  which 
partly  shaded  runs — twelve  feet  long  and  about  two  feet  wide — are  at- 
tached. After  the  hen  has  hatched  her  young,  the  nesting  material  is 
removed  and  the  box  acts  as  a  coop  for  the  hen  and  her  brood.  In 
these  runs  the  hen  and  the  chicks  are  kept  until  about  four  weeks  old, 
when  they  are  taken  out  on  range.  When  a  few  daj's  old  they  are 
marked  by  a  numbered  punch,  making  the  figure  i,  2,  3  or  4  in  the  web 
■of  the  foot.  The  number  represents  the  mating  the  eggs  came  from. 
In  this  way  males  from  the  one  lot  can  be  crossed  on  females  from 
another  lot  without  any  chance  of  inbreeding. 

Two  young  men  are  employed  to  attend  to  this  work.  They  must 
not  only  feed  and  water,  but  keep  the  place  clean  and  attend  to  every 
detail.  In  order  to  have  them  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  work,  and 
that  it  may  be  thoroughly  done,  they  are  offered  a  bonus  for  good  per- 
formance. This  they  get  in  addition  to  their  regular  salary.  For  in- 
stance, a  certain  bonus  is  given  for  every  fifty  head  raised,  and  a  special 
bonus  for  any  number  over  five  hundred  chicks  that  are  handed  over  to 
the  range.  Guineas  are  a  sort  of  "  by-product,"  and  as  they  are  more 
or  less  difficult  to  grow,  these  boys  get  a  good  bonus  for  every  hundred 
that  they  are  able  to  get  beyond  the  danger  stage,  or,  in  other  words, 
that  become  fullv  feathered. 


How  the  Breeding  Ducks  Are  Selected 


In  order  to  secure  a  thousand  standard  breeding  ducks,  considerable 
and  careful  selection  is  required.  About  one  duck  in  ten  will  pass  muster 
as  a  breeder. 

The  standard  set  down  on  Niagara 
Farm  for  a  breeder  is  that  it  must 
"be  broad  in  the  breast,  broad  in  the 
back,  deep  in  the  keel,  not  too  large 
in  head  and  neck,  medium  length  in 
body,  and  sharp  and  quick  in  eye. 

When  the  selection  is  about  being 
made,  W.  Roy  Curtis,  who  has 
charge  of  that  part  of  the  work,  has 
a  lot  of  ducks  driven  in  a  small  en- 
closure. Opposite  him  are  two  un- 
occupied yards.  Those  that  come  up 
to  the  requirements  are  placed  in 
the  one  yard,  and  those  that  fail  in 
the  examination  are  placed  in  the 
other  yard. 

That  work  being  finished,  an  inter- 
esting event  takes  place.  A  flock 
of  from  two  to  three  hundred  of  the 
selected  ducks  are  slowly  driven  a 
half  mile  across  the  farm  to  a 
woods.  It  is  a  hard  pull  for  them, 
and  the  drive  is  a  slow  one.  But, 
notwithstanding    that    they    are    not 

hurried,   every  now  and  then  a  duck       Great    care   is    taken   in    the   selection  of 
will    drop    by    the    wayside,    all    gone  Breeding  Ducks      This  work  is  entirely 

,,       1  ^       -'  Ti   •        11  1   .  =■     .  done    bv    W.    Roy    Curtiss,    who    has 

in   the   legs.      It   is   allowed   to   remain  adopted    a    regular   standard 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  43 

while  the  stronger  ones  continue  the  march.  It  is  a  case  of  survival  of 
the  fittest.  Those  ducks  that  are  able  to  stand  the  trip  prove  their 
strength,  a  qualification  so  necessary  for  producing  good  offspring.  From 
twenty-five  to  fifty  from  each  flock  are  unable  to  stand  the  journey. 

Upon  the  return  of  the  men,  they  pick  up  the  stragglers  and  place 
them  in  the  fattening  pens. 


EGGS   READY    FOR    THE   INCUBATORS 
It  is  the  rule  to  have  eggs  as  near  a  size,  color,  age  and  shape  as  possible 


How  Fertile  Egils  Are  Secured 

The'  eggs  produced  on  Niagara  Farm  show  a  very  large  percentage 
of  fertility.  This  is  pointed  out  in  the  record  of  hatches  referred  to  in 
another  part  of  this  book. 

All  the  birds  are  kept  on  free  range  during  early  spring  and  sum- 
mer, near  a  running  stream  of  water,  in  movable  colony  houses.  In 
winter  these  houses  are  drawn  up  from  the  back  of  the  farm  and  placed 
near  the  home  buildings. 

The  fowls  are  never  confined  to  their  houses  summer  nor  winter,  and 
under  this  treatment  (together  with  good  feed  and  good  care)  the  eggs 
are  exceptionally  fertile  and  produce  strong,  hardy  chicks  that  come  out 
in  the  incubators  with  a  kick  and  are  bound  to  live,  thrive  and  make 
good  hardy  layers  for  next  season. 

The  Curtisses  are  great  believers  in  following  nature.  While  they 
are  opposed  to  fowls  roosting  outdoors  at  night  on  tree  limbs,  shed 
roofs,  fences,  etc.,  at  the  same  time  they  strongly  believe  and  know  that 
for  health  and  good  returns,  poultry  must  have  a  constant  supply  of 
fresh  air.  Their  favorite  house  is  built  after  the  Tolman  plans,  which 
is  a  deep  house  with  an  open  front,  the  hens  roosting  in  the  rear  away 
from  direct  winds  and  protected  from  drafts. 

They  claim,  and  rightly  too,  that  hens  shut  up  in  houses,  with  hardly 
a  chance  to  get  a  breath  of  fresh  air,  are  sure  to  become  sickly,  and 
unhealthy  stock  certainly  cannot  produce  profitable  offspring,  nor  can 
there  be  good  fertility  to  the  eggs. 

Furthermore,  they  believe  that  the  houses  should  not  only  be  kept 
perfectly  clean,  but  should  be  free  from  all  bad  odors,  not  merely  for 
the  agreeableness  to  persons  compelled  to  be  more  or  less  about  them, 
but  particularly  for  the  fowls'  health. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  45 

For  that  reason  they  have  dispensed  with  dropping  boards  under  the 
roosts.  They  state  that  where  a  large  number  of  fowls  are  quartered  in 
a  building,  the  droppings  of  the  night  on  these  boards  is  considerable, 
and,  as  the  boards  are  always  placed  only  about  six  inches  below  the 
roosts,  the  fowls  are  compelled  to  breathe  this  bad  odor  the  entire  night. 

Instead  they  have  the  roosts  about  four  feet  from  the  floor,  and 
planer  shavings  are  scattered  thickly  underneath,  which  holds  the  drop- 
pings and  which  they  can  readily  clean  up. 

After  testing  this  plan  for  several  years  they  are  satisfied  that  it 
prevents  considerable  sickness,  inasmuch  as  there  is  not  so  much  possi- 
bility of  the  bad  odor  reaching  the  stock — at  least  not  in  a  very  strong 
state. 

The  Curtisses  are  also  great  advocates  of  exercise.  The  chicks  as 
well  as  the  hens  are  compelled  to  scratch  among  light  litter  for  their 
grain  feed.  The  grain  fed  the  chickens  and  fowls  on  range  is  broad- 
casted so  that  they  must  be  constantly  on  the  move  in  order  to  find 
something  to  eat.  They  are  busy  from  feeding  time  to  feeding  time,  for 
there  is  always  more  or  less  grain  to  be  found  when  it  is  widely  scat- 
tered. 

The  breeding  ducks  get  their  exercise  in  the  creek  that  runs  through 
their  pens.  Bathing  is  about  the  only  real  exercise  they  can  get,  as 
ducks  cannot  scratch  like  land  fowls. 

Of  course  those  ducks  being  reared  for  market  are  not  allowed 
near  the  water,  as  it  would  reduce  them  in  flesh  and  would  be  unprofit- 
able.    The  object  with  market  ducks  is  to  put  on  all  the  weight  possible. 

Exercise  puts  the  blood  in  good  condition,  it  hardens  the  muscles, 
sharpens  the  appetite,  and  digests  the  food.  All  these  are  requisites  for 
good,  strong  fertile  eggs. 


Killing,  Dressing  and  Shipping 

The  secret  of  the  success  of  the  Niagara  Farm  is  mainly  due  to  the 
fact  that  it  is  so  planned  that  there  is  always  something  on  sale.  Every 
day,  excepting  Saturdays  and  Sundays,  a  shipment  of  some  kind  is  made. 
More  than  three-quarters  of  all  the  shipments  by  express  from  Ransom- 
ville  Station  are  from  the  Curtiss  farm. 

It  requires  3,500  head  of  broilers,  roasters  and  spring  ducklings  each 
week  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  regular  trade. 

From  twenty  to  thirty  women  are  employed  every  day,  excepting 
Saturdays  and  Sundays,  at  dressing  ducklings,  roasters  and  broilers  for 
market.  At  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit  about  2,000  ducklings  were 
being  dressed  in  a  week,  but  before  the  close  of  the  summer  season  it 
is  intended  to  butcher  not  less  than  2,500  a  week.  During  the  month  of 
July  about  five  hundred  squab  broilers  were  dressed  weekly,  and  for 
the  month  of  August  it  is  necessary  to  double  that  number,  as  the  de- 
mand from  the  summer  resorts  increases. 

The  record  weight  of  dressed  ducks  in  one  day  was  nearly  two  tons. 


Killing  Chickens 

The  broilers  and  roasting  fowls  are  killed  in  the  regulation  way. 
They  are  dry-picked,  so  that  the  natural  firmness  of  the  flesh  remains, 
and  they  will  keep  in  better  condition  when  shipped.  After  having  al- 
lowed them  to  fast  for  from  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours,  so  that  noth- 
ing will  remain  in  the  crop  to  sour,  the  feet  of  the  fowl  is  fastened  to 
.a  stout   cord   suspended   from   a   rafter,   and   the   wings   locked,   that  the 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


47 


birds  may  not  flutter.  The  head  is  grasped  by  the  left  hand,  and  a 
sharp-pointed  knife  is  thrust  in  the  mouth,  severing  the  jugular  vein, 
and  shoved  up  into  the  brain.  The  stab  is  made  in  the  center  of  the 
mouth,  between  the  eyes  and  ears.  The  knife  is  then  drawn  from  the 
side  to  the  center  on  each  side  at  top  or  roof  of  mouth.  All  this  was 
done  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it. 

While  the  bird  is  being  killed,  the  operator  takes  it  under  his  left 
arm,  and  the  mouth  is  held  open  with  the  fingers  of  the  left  hand.  At 
once  the  feathers  of  the  breast  are  removed,  then  those  of  the  neck, 
followed  by  those  of  the  back,  the  tail,  the  wings,  and  finally  those  on 


DRESSING    POULTRY    AT    NIAGARA    FARM 

Twenty-five   women   are   employed   every   day    (save   Saturday   and   Sunday) 
dressing   fowls   for   market 


the  legs.  As  soon  as  the  long  feathers  are  removed  the  women  pickers 
begin  their  work,  and  before  the  carcass  has  time  to  get  cold,  it  is  bare 
of  all  feathers. 

After  the  women  have  completed  their  part,  the  carcass  is  examined, 
and  then  given  its  first  bath  in  cold  water,  to  which  a  little  salt  has  been 
added.  After  remaining  in  the  water  for  some  time,  the  clotted  blood 
is  removed  from  the  mouth  of  the  chicken,  and  the  carcass  is  placed 
in  another  tub  of  clean,  cold  water. 

The  carcasses  are  then  shipped  in  boxes  and  barrels  (according  to 
the  size  of  the  order),  packed  in  ice. 

Killing*  Ducks 

When  ready  to  kill  ducks,  two  rows  of  eight  each  are  hung  up  by 
means  of  a  wire  hook  fastened  to  each  leg.  A  long  piece  of  wire  is  then 
drawn  through  the  nostrils  of  the  eight  ducks  and  fastened  to  each  up- 
right post  of  the  scaffold,  'n  which  way  the  ducks  are  kept  quiet  in  the 
proper  position. 

This  is  considered  an  improvement  over  the  old  style  of  fastening  a 
weight,  by  means  of  a  piece  of  wire,  to  the  nostrils  of  each  duck.  Un- 
derneath this  scafifold  is  a  large  trough  four  feet  wide,  six  feet  long, 
and  one  foot  deep,  to  catch  the  blood  and  the  feathers. 


SHIPPING    BABY    CHICKS    AT    NIAGARA    FAKM 

Twenty-five  bright  day-old  chicks  are  placed  in  each  compartment,  the  illustration 

showing  one  lumdred   ready  for  the  trip 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  49 


DUCK     KILUNG     AT    NIAGARA    FARM 

Two  rows  of  ducklings  are  hung  up  at  a  time,   securely  fastened  by  wire,  and  the 
"  executioner  "   does  his  deadly  work  in  a  very  few  minutes 

The  ducklings  are  then  stabbed  in  the  mouth,  the  blade  penetrating 
the  brain,  very  much  on  the  style  used  for  killing  the  broilers  and  the 
roasters.  For  the  purpose  of  killing  the  ducks,  a  butcher's  knife  is 
used.  The  ducklings  are  then  scalded  and  at  once  picked.  Shipment  is 
made  in  the  same  manner  as  with  other  poultry. 


The  Baby  Chick  Trade 

Hatching  and  shipping  baby  chicks  is  one  of  the  specialties  at 
Niagara  Farm.  Thousands  of  these  are  turned  out  and  sold  during  the 
season  of  early  spring  to  way  late  in  summer.  On  the  occasion  of  the 
writer's  visit,  a  single  shipment  of  2,000  chicks  was  made  in  lots  of  fifty 
to  several  hundred,  to  points  in  Virginia,  Illinois,  New  York,  Maryland 
and  Michigan. 

The  shipments  are  made  in  corrugated  pasteboard  boxes,  with  cor- 
rugated pasteboard  pads  placed  in  the  bottom  of  each  box.  Each  box 
has  from  one  to  four  compartments,  measuring  eight  and  a  quarter  by 
ten  inches  each,  in  which  twenty-six  chicks  are  snugly  packed.  In  these 
boxes  a  lot  of  holes  are  punched,  on  the  top  and  the  sides,  to  admit  air. 
The  boxes  are  so  strong  that  they  will  bear  the  weight  of  a  man  weigh- 
ing two  hundred  pounds. 

Where  more  than  one  hundred  chicks  go  to  the  same  party  in  one 
shipment,  the  boxes  are  placed  in  carriers. 

Each  box  and  carrier  is  labelled  "Live  Chickens"  in  large  red  let- 
ters, so  that  there  can  be  no  misunderstanding  as  to  the  contents. 

This  branch  of  the  business  of  Niagara  Farm  has  grown  so  that  two 
large  incubators  have  been  ordered  (7,500  egg  capacity  each)  in  addi- 
tion to  one  of  the  same  size  they  now  operate,  to  help  meet  the  grow- 
ing demand  for  the  day-old  youngsters. 

The  fact  that  little  chicks  just  hatched  should  not  be  fed  for  the 
first  forty-eight  to  seventy-two  hours,  gives  a  splendid  opportunity  to 
ship  at  that  age  without  having  to  feed  or  water  in  transit.  W.  Jay  Cur- 
tiss  has  full  charge  of  the  incubators,  and  personally  oversees  this  de- 
partment. His  experience  covers  the  past  twenty  years,  he  having 
operated  nearly  all  the  different  makes  of  incubators  with  varied  success. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  5 1 

The  Income 

The  income  of  Niagara  Farm  is  derived  as  follows.  About  four 
thousand  head  of  stock,  consisting  of  Single  Comb  White  Leghorns, 
White  Wyandottes  and  White  Plymouth  Rocks  are  kept  for  breeding 
purposes.  From  these  were  produced  and  sold  during  the  1910  season, 
a  little  over  75,000  day-old  chicks,  which  brought,  up  to  April  ist,  twenty 
to  twenty-five  cents  apiece;  during  April,  twenty  cents;  during  May,  fif- 
teen cents;  and  during  June  and  July,  ten  cents  each.  This  gave  an 
average  of  a  fraction  over  fifteen  cents  per  head  for  the  day-old  chicks 
during  the  season. 

Besides,  30,000  eggs  were  sold  for  hatching  purposes,  being  mostly 
disposed  of  in  lots  of  fifty,  one  hundred,  two  hundred,  five  hundred, 
and  even  as  high  as  five  thousand,  at  an  average  price  of  six  dollars  per 
hundred. 

In  addition  to  the  baby  chicks,  from  15,000  to  25,000  chicks  are 
raised,  of  which  half  go  to  the  market  as  squab  broilers  or  roasters,  and 
the  rest  are  either  kept  for  breeding  purposes  or  are  sold  as  such. 

During  the  season,  the  squab-broilers,  eight  ounces  in  weight, 
dressed,  average  fifty  cents  each  in  price,  and  the  soft  roasters  run  from 
a  dollar  to  a  dollar  and  a  half  each,  dressed. 

The  Wyandottes,  as  roasters,  are  marketed  at  from  five  and  a  half 
to  six  and  a  half  pounds,  dressed  weight,  and  the  White  Plymouth  Rocks 
at  from  seven  to  nine  pounds.  The  prices  range  from  eighteen  to  thirty 
cents  per  pound. 

The  squab-broilers  are  produced  from  the  Leghorn  stock.  Niagara 
Farm  does  not  grow  the  regular  sized  broilers  (weighing  from  one  and 
a  quarter  to  two  pounds  each,  dressed)  for  the  reason  that  they  find  it 
more  profitable  to  put  extra  weight  on  the  carcasses  and  grow  them  to 
soft  roaster  size. 

A  limited  private  egg  trade  is  supplied  in  winter,  but  the  Curtisses 
do  not  cater  to  it,  as  they  deem  it  a  better  business  move  to  turn  into 
table  poultry  such  eggs  that  are  not  sold  for  hatching. 

From  5,000  to  7,000  head  of  breeding  stock,  of  all  varieties,  are  sold 
in  one  year. 

As  near  as  can  be  estimated,  it  costs  about  $1.25  per  head  per  year 
to  feed  the  Wyandottes  and  Plymouth  Rocks,  but  the  Leghorns  are  kept 
for  about  one  dollar  per  year,  although  these  figures  vary  with  the  price 
of  feed.  It  would  not  be  possible  to  keep  the  stock  at  those  prices  were 
it  not  for  the  fact  that  Niagara  Farm  buys  all  its  feed  in  carload  lots. 
They  estimate  that  the  sale  of  the  Leghorn  cockerels  as  squab-broilers 
about  pays  for  the  feed  of  the  Leghorn  pullets  up  to  laying  age. 

These  squab-broilers  do  not  exceed  three-quarters  of  a  pound,  when 
dressed,  and  sell  best  during  the  months  of  March,  April  and  May. 
They  are  grown  in  from  eight  to  ten  weeks  in  brooders,  kept  in  a  room 
where  the  temperature  is  about  seventy  degrees.  The  shipments  of 
these  small  broilers  are  made  to  clubs,  high-class  restaurants  and  hotels 
in  large  cities  and  summer  resorts.  This  branch  of  the  business  is  car- 
ried on  throughout  the  year,  although  prices  drop  in  the  summer  and 
fall. 

Advice  to  Beginners 

The  Niagara  Farm  had  a  small  beginning.  There  was  plenty  of 
territory  to  work,  but  there  was  a  serious  lack  of  working  capital.  Con- 
sequently they  had  to  go  more  or  less  in  debt,  but  as  the  income  war- 
ranted they  would  "pay  on  account,"  until  finally  they  got  rid  of  their 
burden.  The  Curtiss  boys  were  progressive,  they  were  wideawake,  they 
did  things  at  the  right  time,  and  always  .aimed  to  "  never  put  oflf  until 
to-morrow  what  should  be  done  to-day." 

At  first  their  knowledge  of  the  poultry  business  was  rather  meagre. 
They  studied  the  authorities,  then  they  worked  the  problems  themselves. 
They  realized  that  the  more  experience  they  secured  the  easier  would  be 
the  work. 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK.  53 

From  the  start  they  worked  by  system.  No  time,  room,  feed  or 
anything  was  wasted  after  they  once  saw  a  way  to  improvement.  They 
made  good  plans  and  good  rules,  and  they  strictly  obeyed  them. 

The  Curtiss  boys  were  ambitious,  they  were  energetic,  they  were 
ahve  to  all  matters.  The  repetition  of  each  day's  work  did  not  tire 
them.  It  has  been  this  growing  "  tired  feeling  "  that  has  sunk  too  many 
promising  enterprises. 

They  make  it  a  rule  now  to  invest  their  profits  in  real  estate,  in- 
stead of  "  living  up  to  it."  They  want  to  save  what  they  earn,  and  their 
holdings  in  real  estate  are  already  giving  them  a  good  income  inde- 
pendent of  the  business. 

The   Curtisses  give  this  advice  to  beginners  : 

Begin  in  a  small  way;  study  and  investigate;  don't  over-estimate 
your  capacity — keep  within  bounds.  Don't  try  to  walk  before  you  can 
crawl.  Keep  out  of  debt  as  much  as  possible,  and  what  must  be  had  on 
credit  should  be  repaid  at  the  very  first  opportunity. 

It  was  a  joke  with  the  elder  Mr.  Curtiss  when  his  son  Roy  suggested 
"  going  into  the  poultry  business."  So  much  of  a  joke  that  he  agreed 
to  buy  all  the  feed — our  readers  know  how  he  subsequently  crept  out 
of  that  bargain,  and  all  owing  to  Roy's  ambition. 

"  If  any  one  had  told  me  twenty  years  ago  that  my  sons  were  going 
to  build  up  the  business  they  have,  I  would  not  have  believed  him,"  the 
elder  Mr.  Curtiss  remarked  to  the  writer. 

W.  Jay  Curtiss  is  very  enthusiastic  over  the  future  of  the  poultry 
business.  "  It  is  growing  with  wonderful  strides,"  he  said,  "  and  as 
fast  as  the  supply  grows  the  demand  increases." 

Asked  what  he  thought  was  the  keynote  of  their  success,  he  said  : 

"  First,  always  bavins'  something  to  sell,  thus  creating  a  regular  in- 
come. -Second,  always  aimmg  to  have  choice  goods,  thus  securing  the 
best,  or  fancy,  trade.  Third,  bemg  punctual  in  filling  orders  so  that 
shipments  can  be  depended  upon.  Fourth,  systematizing  the  work  so 
that  it  will  be  readily  and  more  easily  performed." 

There  are  men  for  all  departments,  and  the  head  of  each  department 
has  full  charge  and  responsibility.  Regularity  is  an  important  rule,  and 
it  is  followed  carefully.  A  time  is  set  for  all  things,  and  punctually 
everything,  even  to  the  smallest  detail,  is  attended  to. 

"  We  could  fill  a  book  with  a  record  of  the  mistakes  we  made,"  said 
W.  Roy  Curtiss,  "  and  I  often  wonder  how,  in  view  of  the  blunders,  we 
ever  managed  to  do  as  well  as  we  did. 

"We  made  blunders  in  feeding,  yes,  many  of  them — and  in  this  par- 
ticular we  sufifered  heavy  loss.  We  made  blunders  in  management;  we 
made  blunders  in  housing;  in  fact,  we  were  continually  heaping  up  our 
mistakes," 

Roy  kept  a  diary,  and  in  it  each  day  he  noted  everything  of  import- 
ance that  happened  on  the  farm.  In  that  way  he  was  able  to  steer  clear 
of  such  stumbling-blocks  as  cost  time  and  money. 

The  lessons  taught  were  varied — the  importance  of  green  food  and 
fresh  water,  and  pure  grains;  the  value  of  keeping  the  premises  clean; 
and  the  advisability  of  being  punctual  and  regular. 

The  beginner  should  start  with  a  single  variety,  and  not  only  study 
how  to  house,  how  to  feed,  and  how  to  care  for  his  fowls,  but  he  should 
become  acquainted  with  the  habits  and  traits  of  his  stock.  He  should 
study  their  egg  yield  as  well  as  their  ability  to  produce  good  table  poul- 
try. He  should  know  the  breed  thoroughly,  and  increase  the  nurnbers 
of  his  flock  as  his  knowledge  of  them  increases.  In  that  way  he  will  be 
best  fitted  to  take  on  the  business  on  a  larger  scale. 

Then,  should  the  trade  call  for  something  that  he  is  unable  to  pro- 
duce with  his  breed,  it  is  time  to  add  another  variety,  as  did  the  Curtiss 
brothers. 

"The  beginner  should  always  be  sure  he  is  right  before  he  goes 
ahead,"  is  a  maxim  that  ought  to  be  cherished.  If  it  was  good  enough  for 
Niagara  Farm  it  certainly  should  be  good  enough  for  those  v;ho  are 
entering  the  ranks. 


Index 


Page 
A 

Annual   sales    6 

Artificial    heat    33 

Asiatics    14 

B 

Baby    chicks    4G,  48 

Baby  chick  trade   49 

Barred  Plymouth  Rock    14 

Bathing   carcass    4  7 

Beef   scrap    25-31 

Beginner,  advice   to    51 

Bone   cutter    12 

Bone  soup    29 

Bowel   regulator    27 

Bran     2G-31 

Breeding   ducks    40 

Breeding  ducks  feed  formula    29 

Breeding   ducks,   standard    41 

Breeding   stock,   feeding    27 

Breeding   stock,   formula    27 

Breeding  stock  sold   61 

Broilers     24 

Broilers  sold    51 

Brooder   feed    formula    30 

Brooder  house,   duck    11 

Brooders    25 

Brooding  pens    32 

Brooding  houses    34 

Buildings     10 

Bugs    36 

c 

Card  record    21 

Charcoal     25 

Chestnut    soil    10 

Chick   brooder  liouse    32 

Chicks,    feeding   the 24 

Chicks  on  range   25 

Cleaning   brooder   boxes    35 

Cleaning   lamps    17 

Cleanliness    35,    43 

Clover   29,   31,  35,  38 

Coal    consumed    12 

Cold    brooder    feed    formula 30 

Cold   brooders .  33 

Colonizing   stock   birds    38 

Colony  houses    11 

Cooling  eggs    19 

Corn    30,    31 

Corn   meal    26,   30,   31 

Cost  of  feeding  per  liead    51 

Cracked  corn    30 

D 

Day-old    chicks    sold     23,    51 

Diary     53 

Disinfecting   incubators    22 

Dressing   carcass    45 

Drinking   water    25,   39 

Driving   breeding   ducks    41 

Dropping    boards    45 

Dry  bran    26 

Dry  picking    45 

Duck  brooder  house 11 

Duck  egg  yield    24 

Duck  fattening   shed    11 

Ducklings     17 

Duck  pond    45 

Duck  supply,    winter    15 

Ducks,  best    breed   of    14 

Ducks,  feeding     2f) 

Ducks  in    water    4  5 


Page 

Ducks,  laying  season   22" 

Ducks,  Pekin     14,   21 

Ducks,  raising     9 

Ducks,  stampeding    40- 


Educating    the   trade    10 

Egg   testing   booths    13  . 

Eggs,  cooling    19' 

Eggs,   hard-boiled     25 

Eggs,  securing   fertile    40 

Eggs  sold    51 

Eggs,  turning    17,    20 

Eggs,  white   shelled    14 

Electric    power    12 

Equipment    10- 

Exercise     45 

Exhibition    stock    40 

Experience   of  Curtiss  boys    51. 

Extra    tray   method    17 


Family    trade    10' 

Farm   products    1# 

Fattening  food    formula    30 

Fattening  shed,    ducks    10- 

Feathering  and  molting    36- 

Feed  formula    29-31 

Feeding  breeding    stock     27^ 

Feeding  chicks    24,    27,   4f 

Feeding  chicks   on    range    2fi' 

Feeding  cost     5"^ 

Feeding  ducks    27,    V> 

Feeding  wrinkles    ^8 

Feed  mixers     12 

Feed  schedule     26 

Feed  storehouse     ■  1 1! 

Feed  time    -;7 

Feed  warehouse     .  .  12 

Fertile  eggs 43 

Fireless   brooders    ■:  .  .  .  33 

Floor  space .  11 

Flour    26-31 

Formula   for  breeding  stock    27 

Free  range    43 

Fresh   air    43 

Fringe     32 

Future   of  business 53 

G 

Gathering  eggs   38- 

Grain    25 

Grain  elevator    11 

Green  bone    25 

Green  corn     38 

Green  food   25,   27,  30,  36,  38,   53 

Green  oats    38 

Green  rye     38 

Green  wheat 38 

Grit     25 

Guineas     41 

H 

Hard-boiled    eggs    25 

Hatches    17 

Hatching  and   rearing    13 

Hatching  report    21 

Hatching  rules     22 

Heat,    artificial    33 

Heating   brooder    33 

\ Togan    f vstem    14 

Hotel    trade    10 

Hover    32' 


CURTISS    POULTRY    BOOK. 


55 


Page 
I 

Ice  house     j* 

Ice  pond     ^f 

Income    "I'V  "  ;  o'    i  a 

Incubator  cellar    l-L.    ■i^-'.    ^o 

Incubator  operation     17 

Incubator  records    "lo"    i  q 

Incubators    12,   13 

Incubators,    disinfecting    y^„^ 

Indian  Runner  ducks    14,   15,    21 

K 

Killing  chickens     ^5 

Killing  ducks    * ' 

Killing  room    1'' 

L 

Lamp    of    incubator 1^ 

Lamps,  cleaning    17 

Lamps,  filling     j^ 

Lamps,  trimming     ^° 

Laying  hens ^° 

-jaying  season   for   ducks ^^ 

ucghorns     j^ 

Lights    for    ducks *" 

_,itter     **^ 

M 

aiachinery     J^ 

•-ijK-kets     " 

^larking  shipping  boxes    *» 

Marking  the  hatches    •  ■  •  •  ■  •  -41 

ash    26,   ii,  rfo 

Mash,   soft  wet    26 

Mating   stock  birds    ^° 

f  ,q1  ^1 

t'l'^     -19 

if.^t   chopper ^-^ 

ddlemen    oV    97 

.tldlings    26,    27 

lix.-iig    machine    11 

iMois'  ure,  adding    1^ 

Molt.,  g  period    ^6 

Myers   nump    i^ 

N 

Nests,    or.tdoor  box    V^n 

Niagara  Poultry  Farm    o,   lU 

Number   of   assistants    1  ^ 

Number   of   customers    1" 

Nursery     ..... • oo  '  '^n' '  ^i 

Viirsery   feed   formula    iv,   ou,   61 

0 

Oat  meal    27,   29,   31 

Oats    f° 

Office   buildings    j^^ 

Oil  meal    27 

Oil  used    j^ 

Operation   methods    | ' 

Outdoor   box   nests    *  l 

P 

Pekin    ducks    1*'    ^1 

Ticker  house    1 1 

Planer   shavings    *^ 

Plowing   runs    ^^ 

Plymouth    Rocks     ■  -^^ 

Practical   not  fancy    ° 

Prices  received i^ 

Private  egg  trade    ^1 

Products  of  farm    i* 

Profits  in  retail  trade    1^ 

Pumps     


Page 
R 

Raising   ducks    9 

Range    38 

Range,  chicks  on   25 

Ranging  breeding  birds   38 

Ranging  exhibition  birds    38 

Record  cards   21 

Report   of  hatching    21 

Result   of  hatch    17 

Retail  trade,  profits   10 

Roasters     51 

Roasting  cockerels   28 

Roosts    45 

Rule    of    proportions    26 

Rules  for  success    51,    53 

Rules  in  hatching    22 

Runs   33 

Runs,    plowing    35 

Rye    38 

S 

Salt  bath    ; 47 

Schedule   of  feed    26 

Selecting   breeding   ducks    41 

Shavings     40 

Shipping    45,    47 

Shipping  baby  chicks   49,  50 

Shredded   wheat    29 

Sprinkling  floor  of  cellar    19 

Squab    broilers    51 

Smith   meat  chopper    12 

Standard   for   breeding   ducks 41 

Steam   tank    29 

Stock  birds,  colonizing    38 

Stock  birds,  mating 38 

Stock   duck   feed   formula    31 

Straw    bedding    40 

T 

Telephones    '3 

Temperature     21 

Testing  duck  eggs    21 

Time  to  feed   '■? ' 

Timothy    seeds    24 

Tolman  house    43 

Trade,   educating  the    10 

Trade,   family    10 

Trade,    hotel    10 

Trimming    lamps    19 

Turning  eggs    17,   20 

V 

Varieties  selected    14 

Ventilation    12,   13,    33 

Ventilator  holes    12 

Visitors  welcome    13 

w 

Washing   carcass    47 

Water,   drinking    25,   39 

Water   system    12 

Wet    mash     26 

Wheat    38 

Wheat,    screenings    a'    A^ 

White    Leghorns    14,    38,    41 

White  Plymouth  Rocks    14,   38,   41 

White  shelled    eggs    ■■  •]^ 

AVhite  Wyandottes    14,    38,    41 

Wilson  bone  cutter    12 

Windows     33 

Wing  feathers    36 

Winter    chick    brooder    36 

Winter  duck    supply    ■  ■  ■  ■  ■\^ 

Winter  egg   trade    51 

Women   employed    45 

Work   shop 12 

Wyandottes    -^o 


A  LIST  OF  THE 

Rem&rkable  Booklets 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE 

WILMER  ATKINSON  CO. 


POULTRY  SECRETS  :  First  published  in  1908,  this  collection  of  the  carefully- 
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HORSE  SECRETS  :  Compiled  and  written  by  Dr.  A.  S.  Alexander,  of 
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HOLDEN'S  CORN  SECRETS:  A  new  booklet  by  Prof.  Holden,  the 
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and  should  be  increased  20  bushels  to  the  acie.  The  only  co77iplete  corn 
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THE  MILLION  EGG  FARM;  Describing  the  enormous  business  and  plant 
of  J.  M.  Foster's  Rancocas  Farm,  wHere  20,000  laying  hens  are  producing 
between  2,000,000  and  3,000,000  eggs  for  market  this  year.  Written 
'specially  for  beginners      80  pages,  profusely  illustrated. 

THE  CURTISS  POULTRY  BOOK :  See  preceding  pages 

GARDEN  GOLD  :  A  new  booklet  written  for  people  with  small  gardens,  show- 
ing how  to  raise  your  own  vegetables  in  these  days  of  high  prices,  and 
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Splendid  for  people  with  back  yards  only.      64  pages,   illustrated. 

HALF  A  TON  OF  BUTTER  PER  COW  PER  YEAR:  Seven  cows  in 
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SHALL  I  FARM  ?     For  city  people  trying  to  decide  whether  or  not  to  go  to 

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